Beheaded  for  the  Faith  in  Corea, 
March  8,  1866 


FOR  THE  FAITH 

LIFE  OF 

JUST  DE  BRETENIERES 


Martyred  in  Korea 
March  8, 1866 


LIBRARY  OF  PRINCETON 

JAN  1 6 20D8 


THEOLOGICAL 


,F.Y 


Adapted  from  the  French  of  C.  Appert  by 

FLORENCE  GILMORE 


CATHOLIC  FOREIGN  MISSION  SOCIETY 
MARYKNOLL.  OSSININQ,  NSW  YORK 


Jîibîl  <©b»tat: 


ARTHUR  J.  SCANLAN,  S.  T.  D., 

Censor  Librorum 


^mprhnatur: 

PATRICK  J.  HAYES.  D.  D„ 

Archbishop  of  New  York 


COPYRIGHT,  1918,  BY  THE 
CATHOLIC  FOREIGN  MISSION  SOCIETY 
OF  AMERICA 


CONTENTS 


Preface. 

Chapter  I.  Page 

Birth  and  Early  Childhood i 

Chapter  II. 

Boyhood lo 

Chapter  III. 

The  Seminary  at  Issy  24 

Chapter  IV. 

The  Foreign  Mission  Seminary 36 

Chapter  V. 

Ordination  and  Last  Good-byes 58 

. Chapter  VI. 

The  Long  Voyage 74 

Chapter  VII. 

A Winter  in  Manchuria 95 

Chapter  VIII. 

Korea  at  Last 106 

Chapter  IX. 

Life  in  Korea 121 

Chapter  X. 

Persecution 133 

Chapter  XL 

Martyrdom 150 

Chapter  XII. 

The  Rendezvous 160 

Appendix 161 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 


Opposite  Page 

Where  Just  Discovered  His  Call 8 

College  of  St.  Francis  de  Sales,  Dijon 20 

Just’s  Mother  and  Brother 32 

Church  of  St.  Michael,  Dijon 44 

At  the  Paris  Foreign  Mission  Seminary  ....  58 

v7hoir  Boys  in  Taikou 72 

Hongkong,  the  Gateway  of  China 88 

Mukden,  Manchuria 98 

Koreans  in  Mourning  Garb . 106 

• Under  the  Thatches  of  Quelpaert 114 

Little  Ones  of  Korea 126 

Korean  Types 134 

Christian  and  Pagan  Seoul 144 

Vhe  Cathedral  of  Seoul 154 

A Workroom  in  the  Benedictine  Trade  School  . . 162 

The  Much-Loved  Bishop  of  Seoul 174 


PREFACE. 


Shortly  after  Mônsignor  John  J.  Dunn  of 
New  York  began  his  epoch-making  work  for  the 
cause  of  foreign  missions  he  published  a Life 
of  Just  de  Bretenières  under  the  title  of  “A 
Martyr  of  Our  Own  Day.’^  Several  thousand 
copies  were  printed  and  found  interested  readers 
in  many  sections  of  the  English-speaking  world. 
No  plates  were  made  and  the  edition  is  now  out 
of  print. 

In  the  meantime,  Father  Appert,  a professor 
at  the  College  of  St.  Francis  de  Sales  in  Dijon, 
France,  prepared  under  the  direction  of  his  Super- 
ior, Father  Christian  de  Bretenières,  the  young 
martyr’s  brother,  a new  and  more  complete  Life. 

In  a letter  which  I received  from  France  while 
the  work  of  Father  Appert  was  in  preparation, 
Father  Christian  de  Bretenières  wrote: 

“As  to  the  new  Life  of  my  reverend  brother, 

I would  say  to  you  that  it  is  coming  slowly. 

“The  author  is  most  of  all  anxious  to  get 
together  some  new  and  interesting  documents. 

He  is  in  correspondence  with  many  persons,  in- 
cluding important  witnesses  and  especially  the 
Bishop  of  Seoul  and  his  missioners  in  Korea. 

“The  work  promises  to  be  new  from  many 
points  of  view.” 

It  is  this  Life  which  Miss  Gilmore  has  trans- 
lated; and  as  one  who  has  been  privileged  to 
meet  the  martyr’s  brother  in  France  and  later  to 
visit,  in  Korea,  the  scene  of  the  martyrdom,  I 
desire  in  this  foreword  to  express  my  apprécia- 


tion  of  the  present  volume  and  the  hope  that 
it  will  fulfill  its  purpose — to  raise  up  Catholic 
souls  who  will  push  the  Standard  of  the  Cross 
further  into  the  regions  now  held  by  the  hosts 
of  Satan. 

James  Anthony  Walsh, 

Maryknoll,  Ossining,  N.  Y. 


'‘Whoever  shall  call  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord  shall 
he  saved.  How  then  shall  they  call  upon  him,  in  whom 
they  have  not  believed?  Or  hoiv  shall  they  believe 
him,  of  whom  they  have  not  heard?  And  how  shall 
they  hear  without  a preacher?  And  how  shall  they 
preach  unless  they  be  sent,  as  it  is  written:  How  beau- 
tiful are  the  feet  of  them  that  preach  the  gospel  of 
peace,  of  them  that  bring  glad  tidings  of  good  things T 
—Rom.  X,  13^15. 


FOR  THE  FAITH 

JUST  DE  BRETENIÈRES 


CHAPTER  I. 

Birth  and  Early  Childhood. 

A young  priest,  passing  St.  Peter’s  church  in 
in  Chalon-sur-Saône  on  the  morning  of  July  first, 
1829,  was  surprised  to  see  a crowd  gathered 
about  its  doors,  and  stopping  he  asked  the  reason 
for  the  excitement.  A great  wedding  was  being 
solemnized  within,  the  people  told  him:  Anna  de 
Montcoy  was  marrying  Edmond  de  Bretenières,^ 
son  of  the  first  chairman  of  the  Royal  Court  of 
Appeals  of  Dijon;  and  the  villagers  vied  with  one 
another  in  telling  him  of  the  exalted  dignity  of 
both  families  and  the  extent  of  their  fortunes. 
As  for  Mademoiselle  de  Montcoy,  one  and  all 
loved  her  and  could  not  say  enough  in  her  praise. 
The  young  priest  was  not  greatly  interested  in 
the  information  showered  upon  him,  and  the  im- 
pression he  received  was  of  a marriage  richer  in 
the  things  of  earth  than  in  those  of  heaven.  He 
entered  the  church  to  say  a little  prayer  for  the 
young  couple,  and  left  it  convinced  that  their 


1 Pronouncea  Bret-on-yair. 


2 


For  The  Faith 


union  would  be  signally  blessed  by  God.  Some 
years  afterwards  this  priest  was  made  pastor  of 
St.  Peter’s  in  Chalon-sur-Saône.  He  became  the 
friend,  confident,  and  spiritual  director  of  M.  and 
Mme.  de  Bretenières,  and  later  of  their  sons. 

Mademoiselle  de  Montcoy  had  wealth,  beauty, 
and  social  position;  she  had,  also,  ideals  so  high 
that,  as  a very  young  girl,  she  had  thirsted  for 
sacrifice  and  penance,  and  longed  for  a life  given 
to  God  and  Him  alone.  To  become  a Carmelite 
had  been  the  dearest  wish  of  her  heart.  Mme.  de 
Montcoy,  a good  woman  and  a wise  one,  under- 
stood her  daughter  thoroughly,  and  she  doubted 
the  reality  of  her  religious  vocation.  Following 
her  mother’s  advice  the  girl  become  engaged  to 
Edmond  de  Bretenières. 

In  mind  and  soul  the  young  man  was  worthy 
of  her.  On  leaving  college  he  had  obtained  his 
father’s  permission  to  study  art.  At  Dijon,  and 
later  at  Paris,  in  the  studios  of  well  known  mas- 
ters, he  ‘had  been  faithful  to  the  traditions  of  a 
family  unfalteringly  loyal  to  the  Faith  and  true 
to  its  teaching.  Kind,  courteous,  high-minded, 
reserved  in  his  friendships,  devoted  to  his  work: 
such  was  young  Edmond  de  Bretenières.  At  the 
desire  of  his  father  he  had  laid  aside  the  artistic 
work  he  loved  and  accepted  a political  position 
which  had  taken  him  successively  to  Vassy,  Cha- 
tillon-sur-Seine  and  Chalons-sur-Saone,  where  he 
met  and  learned  to  love  Anna  de  Montcoy. 

Their  marriage  was  blessed  by  a son,  but  while 
they  were  rejoicing  over  his  birth  he  slipped  away 


Just  de  Bretenières 


3 


from  them  to  heaven.  Shortly  afterward  the  Rev- 
olution of  1830  placed  Louis  Philippe  on  France’s 
unsteady  throne,  and  unwilling  to  serve  under  a 
government  which  he  did  not  like  M.  de  Breten- 
ières resigned  his  office,  and  he  and  his  fair  young 
wife  travelled  through  Switzerland,  Italy,  Ger- 
many and  Greece.  The  political  troubles  of  the 
day  weighed  lightly  on  their  young  hearts,  but 
that  the  passing  years  brought  them  no  other 
child  was  a sorrow  deep  and  ever  present. 

Mme.  de  Bretenières  prayed  without  ceasing 
that  God  would  send  a little  one  to  fill  their  empty 
cradle  and  lonely  hearts,  and  eight  and  a half 
years  after  the  death  of  her  first  child,  on  Febru- 
ary twenty-eighth,  1838,  a second  son  was  born 
to  her  at  Chalons-sur-Saone.  He  was  baptized  on 
the  same  day,  receiving  for  patrons  our  Blessed 
Mother  and  Saints  Just,  Simon,  and  Anthony. 

As  he  developed  little  Just  showed  himself  to 
be  straightforward,  obedient,  and  natural,  affec- 
tionate but  undemonstrative,  master  of  himself 
to  a degree  unusual  in  a child,  and  remarkably 
thoughtful,  tender,  and  sympathetic.  Fond  of  play 
as  are  all  healthy  children,  he  deeply  loved  prayer 
and  the  things  of  God.  His  grandfather,  a victim 
of  rheumatism,  was  confined  to  his  chair  and  often 
suffered  excruciating  pain.  Sometimes  when  his 
mother  was  called  from  the  old  man’s  side  Just, 
little  as  he  was,  would  interrupt  his  play  to  take 
her  place.  He  would  sit  silent  and  motionless, 
watching  to  turn  his  grandfather’s  page  at  the 
proper  moment,  if  he  chanced  to  be  reading,  or 


4 


For  The  Faith 


if  he  was  in  pain  would  very  gently  wipe  from  his 
brow  the  sweat  of  agony,  as  he  had  seen  his 
mother  do. 

A portrait  of  Just,  painted  when  he  was  four 
or  five  years  of  age,  has  been  preserved  and  is 
very  winsome.  The  little  face  is  sweet  and  smil- 
ing. The  eyes  are  dark  and  bright,  and  the  fore- 
head high.  The  cheeks,  destined  to  be  thinned  in 
youth  by  fasts  and  penances,  are  round  and  very 
rosy. 

In  August,  1840,  a third  son  was  born  to  M. 
and  Mme.  de  Bretenières,  and  received  the  name 
Christian.  Just  was  no  longer  lonely  in  his  fath- 
er’s big,  well-ordered  chateau.  Throughout  their 
childhood  and  youth  the  brothers  were  close  com- 
panions, and  so  happy  together  that  they  did  not 
feel  the  need  of  association  with  other  boys  of 
their  own  age,  of  which  they  were  deprived  by 
their  father’s  conviction  that  it  was  best  for  them 
to  be  educated  under  his  eye  by  private  tutors. 
Whatever  the  ordinary  drawbacks  of  this  system 
they  were  offset  in  the  case  of  Just  and  Christian 
by  advantages  so  unusual  that  the  carefully  iso- 
lated boys  grew  to  be  men  of  broad  culture.  Sterl- 
ing principles  and  fervent  piety  prepared  one  to 
become  a saintly  priest  and  the  superior  of  a col- 
lege, the  other  early  to  shed  his  blood  in  the  cause 
of  the  Lord  and  Master  for  whom  he  had  un- 
hesitatingly sacrificed  “all  save  the  sweetness  of 
treading  where  He  first  trod.” 

The  family  spent  part  of  every  winter  at  Dijon 
in  the  beautiful  old  home  of  the  Baron  de  Bre- 


Just  de  Bretenières 


5 


tenières,  their  grandfather,  whose  learning  and 
worth  were  so  well  knawn  that  the  government  of 
the  Restoration  had  named  him  first  chairman 
of  the  Court  of  Appeals.  His  life  had  been  a 
checkered  one.  Obliged  to  emigrate  during  the 
Revolution,  he  went  to  Italy  where  he  supported 
himself  as  best  he  could  by  giving  lessons  in  paint- 
ing. More  of  the  children’s  time  was  spent  with 
the  Baron  de  Montcoy,  father  of  Mme.  de  Bre- 
tenières, a courtly  old  gentleman,  whom  much  suf- 
fering of  body,  mind  and  heart  had  chastened  and 
made  strong.  To  the  boys  he  was  a hero,  and 
they  listened  with  rapt  attention  to  his  stories  of 
the  dangers  through  which  he  had  passed,  and  of 
brave  deeds  that  he,  himself,  had  witnessed  and 
whose  memory  was  enshrined  within  a heart  too 
noble  ever  to  forget  the  nobility  of  others.  Doubt- 
less his  tales  made  heroic  self-devotion  seem  beau- 
tiful and  almost  commonplace  to  the  little  boys 
listening  open-eyed  at  his  knee;  doubtless,  too, 
they  formed  part  of  the  remote  preparation  for 
the  sacrifices  which  were  one  day  to  tear  Just 
from  all  that  he  loved  and  to  lead  him,  step  by 
step,  to  the  Foreign  Mission  Seminary,  to  Korea, 
and  to  martyrdom. 

Young  at  the  time  of  the  Revolution  the  aged 
Baron  had  seen  its  perils  at  close  range  and  had 
drunk  deep  of  its  horrors.  Forced  into  the  army 
of  the  Republic  that  was  charged  with  chastising 
recalcitrant  Lyons,  he  had  deserted  to  offer  his 
services  to  the  valiant  city.  The  history  of  its 
defence  is  one  long  tale  of  heroism  crowded  with 


6 


For  The  Faith 


such  incidents  as  children  love  and  never  forget; 
for  instance,  at  a certain  point  in  the  city  the  artil- 
lerymen lay  huddled  about  one  of  the  batteries, 
w'ounded  or  discouraged.  All  but  one  of  their 
guns  had  been  silenced  when  Marie  Adrian,  a 
girl  thirteen  years  of  age,  dressed  like  a boy  that 
she  might  do  her  work  more  easily,  began  to  fire 
the  remaining  gun,  indifferent  to  the  bullets  that 
fell  on  every  side.  She  did  not  stop  until  her 
ammunition  was  exhausted.  After  the  surrender 
of  the  city  she  was  dragged  before  a tribunal 
set  up  by  the  conquerors.  “How  did  you  dare 
to  fight  against  your  own  country?”  she  was 
asked.  “On  the  contrary,  I was  defending  it,” 
she  replied.  She  was  sentenced  to  death,  and 
went  bravely  to  the  scaffold. 

When  Lyons  fell  the  Baron  succeeded  in  mak- 
ing his  escape.  He  wandered  about  the  woods 
of  Forez  until  he  was  arrested  by  two  soldiers. 
Their  prisoner  seeming  to  be  meek  and  quiet  they 
took  no  special  precautions  to  guard  him,  and 
suddenly  he  threw  one  of  them  from  his  horse, 
snatched  his  pistol,  and  shot  the  second.  Free 
once  more  he  resumed  his  wandering  life,  tak- 
ing refuge,  at  last,  in  the  hut  of  a poor  laborer. 
Soon  two  soldiers  came  upon  him  there,  took 
him  captive,  and  dragged  him  back  to  Lyons 
where  he  was  thrown  into  prison,  there  to  await 
execution  as  a deserter  and  an  enemy  of  the  Re- 
public. One  day  when  the  names  of  those  to  be 
guillotined  were  called  the  doorkeeper  cried  out, 
“Plantin  de  Montcoyl”  No  one  went  forward 


Just  de  Bretenières 


7 


and  he  repeated  the  words.  “The  prisoner’s 
name  is  Lantin,’’  his  associate  said,  and  as  that 
name  was  not  on  the  list  insisted  that  they  had 
no  right  to  take  the  Baron.  That  day  Robe- 
spierre fell,  and  on  the  next  all  the  prisoners 
were  set  free. 

Nor  was  their  grandfather  the  only  hero  whom 
the  children  revered  with  boyish  whole-hearted- 
ness. The  Abbé  Pagnier,  a friend  of  the  Baron’s, 
a virile  old  man  of  strong  and  simple  piety,  had 
also  proved  himself  fearless  in  the  days  of  the 
Terror.  ' One  morning  he  was  taking  Holy  Viat- 
icum to  a poor  man  in  a farm  house.  Reaching 
a river  he  saw  two  Revolutionary  spies  stationed 
at  the  end  of  the  bridge.  To  save  his  life  it 
was  necessary  to  get  the  better  of  them — which 
he  promptly  did.  Having  carefully  hidden  the 
Blessed  Sacrament,  bare-handed  he  seized  one, 
threw  him  into  the  river,  and  quickly  sent  his 
companion  after  him.  Calmly  taking  the  Sacred 
Host  from  Its  hiding  place  he-  then  crossed  the 
bridge  without  waiting  to  see  how  his  enemies 
made  their  way  to  land.  Another  old  man,  also 
a friend  of  the  family,  had  been  closely  associ- 
ated with  the  unfortunate  Louis  XVI.  He  had 
great  affection  for  Just  whom  he  always  greeted 
with  the  words,  “Justus  ut  palma  florebit.”^ 

Of  Just’s  early  childhood  there  is  little  to  tell. 
He  was  pious,  but  so  arc  many  children.  He  was 
studious  and  docile  and  loving.  Only  one  inci- 
dent of  his  first  years  has  been  preserved,  prob- 


1 The  just  shall  flourish  like  a palm  tree. 


8 


For  The  Faith 


ably  because  it  is  the  only  one  that  marked  him 
as  in  any  way  different  from  other  children  sur- 
rounded by  every  care  and  naturally  devout.  The 
spot  on  which  it  occurred  is  now  marked  by  a 
wooden  cross.  One  day  when  Just  was  six  years  of 
age  and  Christian  four  they  were  playing  together 
under  the  watchful  eye  of  a German  governess. 
To  amuse  themselves  they  dug  into  the  earth  with 
little  sticks.  Suddenly  Just  said  to  his  brother, 
“Be  very  quiet  for  a moment;”  and  bending  low 
over  the  hole  which  he  had  made,  he  cried  joy- 
fully, “I  see  the  Chinese!  I see  the  Chinese! 
Let’s  dig  deeper  and  we’ll  soon  come  to  them!” 
Christian  looked  into  the  hole  but  could  see  noth- 
ing. Just  stoutly  insisted  that  he  did,  and  digging 
excitedly  described  to  his  brother  how  the  Chinese 
looked  and  what  clothes  they  wore.  Some,  he 
said,  were  on  horseback,  some  afoot.  And  he  de- 
clared that  when  he  put  his  ear  close  to  the  hole 
he  could  hear  their  voices.  After  a few  minutes 
the  children  went  back  to  their  ordinary  play  and 
the  incident  was  not  mentioned  between  them  or 
to  their  parents. 

Years  passed,  and  one  day  the  two  brothers, 
both  in  ecclesiastical  dress,  were  seated  under  a 
tree  in  the  forest  of  Meudon.  There  were  tears 
in  their  eyes  and  their  voices  often  trembled  as 
they  talked.  Just  had  been  ordained  only  a few 
days  before  and  was  waiting  to  be  told  what  for- 
eign land  was  to  be  the  field  of  his  apostolate, 
and  perhaps — though  he  hardly  dared  to  hope  for 
such  joy — perhaps  of  his  martyrdom!  At  last 


THE  CHATEAU  AT  BRETENIÈRES  WHERE  JUST  DISCOVERED  HIS  CALL  TO  THE  MISSIONS 

(See  Page  8) 


Just  de  Bretenières 


9 


Christian’s  voice  failed  him,  and  Just  said  very 
tenderly,  “Don’t  imagine  that  it  does  not  cost  me 
dear  to  go.  It  is  hard,  terribly  hard,  Christian, 
for  me  to  leave  all  whom  I love,  but  God’s  call  is 
irresistible,  and  ever  since  the  day — ” He  went 
on  to  recall  the  morning  on  which  he  had  seen  and 
heard  the  Chinese  in  his  little  hole.  He  had  a 
vivid  remembrance  of  the  whole  scene;  Christian, 
too,  he  found,  had  cherished  every  detail  of  it. 

Only  once  in  all  the  intervening  years  had  Just 
^ ever  referred  to  the  incident.  He  and  one  of  his 
fellow  students  of  the  Foreign  Mission  Seminary 
had  gone  to  see  a poor  child  whom  Just  had 
been  instrumental  in  placing  in  an  orphanage. 
To  make  conversation  he  asked  his  protégé  what 
he  was  going  to  do  when  he  grew  to  be  a man. 
The  child  declared  so  positively  that  he  intended 
to  be  a missioner  that  the  other  seminarian  was 
surprised.  Just  said,  “I  am  not.  My  own  voca- 
tion manifested  itself  earlier  than  this  boy’s.” 
And  he  told  his  friend  of  the  vision  of  his  child- 
hood. 

It  would  be  easy  to  see  in  the  incident  no  more 
than  a childish  fancy  had  it  not  so  deeply  im- 
pressed both  brothers,  and  so  providentially  in- 
fluenced Just’s  whole  life.  Besides,  Just,  calm 
and  thoughtful,  even  as  a child,  was  not  one  to 
be  carried  away  by  his  imagination. 


10 


For  The  Faith 


CHAPTER  II. 

Boyhood. 

During  their  childhood  the  boys  occupied  ad- 
joining rooms,  and  every  evening  after  their 
mother  had  embraced  them  and  gone  down-stairs 
to  rejoin  their  father,  Just  preached  a little  ser- 
mon to  which  Christian  listened  attentively.  “You 
see,”  Just  said  one  night,  “we  ought  to  aim  at 
perfection;  but  perfection  isn’t  easy.  It’s  like  a 
high  mountain  whose  summit  is  hard  to  reach, 
but  if  we  try  for  a long  time  we  can  get  to  the 
top,  and  then  God  wdll  reward  us.”  Christian 
never  forgot  these  words  though  he  was  only 
four  years  old  when  they  were  uttered  and  it 
was  many  a year  before  he  understood  them. 

It  was  about  this  time  that  Just  made  his  first 
confession,  and  afterwards  made  the  following 
resolutions,  remarkable  for  a little  child,  however 
pious  and  intelligent:  “I  wdll  try  to  be  good  al- 

w’ays  and  everywhere  in  spite  of  the  temptations 
of  the  devil  and  bad  example.  Every  morning  I 
will  ask  God  to  give  me  grace  to  be  good  during 
the  day,  and  wTen  evening  comes  I will  try  to 
remember  whether  I have  done  my  duty.  I will 
often  talk  to  my  Guardian  Angel  and  beg  him  to 
help  me,  and  I will  always  remember  that  I am 
in  the  presence  of  my  Creator.  Every  Sunday  I 


Just  de  Bretenières 


11 


will  read  these  resolutions,  and  if  I forget  them 
I hope  that  Father  arid  Mother  will  remind  me 
of  them.” 

Naturally  modest  and  retiring,  Just  kept  him- 
self in  the  background  except  when  there  was 
question  of  the  services  of  the  Church.  He  was 
eager  to  serve  Mass,  but  the  first  time  he  tried 
was  so  overcome  with  shyness,  and  consequently 
made  so  many  mistakes,  that  when  all  was  over 
he  burst  into  tears  and  only  the  kind  curé  could 
console  him. 

Even  as  a child  he  loved  to  pray.  The  boys 
said  their  morning  and  night  prayers  with  their 
tutor,  and  for  two  or  three  years,  on  the  pretext 
that  the  teacher  was  frail  and  needed  all  the  rest 
that  he  could  get.  Just  rose  before  anyone  else, 
made  the  fire,  put  the  school  room  in  order,  and 
then  passed  in  prayer  the  time  remaining  before 
the  others  joined  him.  However  tired  and  sleepy 
he  might  be,  he  never  went  to  bed  without  saying 
his  beads  slowly  and  fervently.  Each  spring  he 
and  Christian  built  an  altar  in  honor  of  our  Blessed 
Mother  in  one  of  the  rooms  of  their  father’s  house 
and  kept  it  covered  with  flowers  throughout  her 
month.  Day  after  day  they  held  short  May  de- 
votions before  it,  at  which  little  Just  always 
officiated  and  Christian  played  the  part  of  con- 
gregation. After  a time,  with  the  curé’s  permis- 
sion, the  boys  did  even  better.  They  built  their 
altar  out-of-doors,  and  every  evening  they  rang  a 
bell  to  announce  the  beginning  of  devotions. 
Soon  the  old  women,  young  girls,  and  children  of 


12 


For  The  Faith 


the  neighborhood  joined  them,  and  Just  sweetly, 
gravely,  and  rev^erently  read  a page  from  a devo- 
tional book:  such,  for  two  years  were  May  devo- 
tions in  the  village  of  Bretenières.  One  of  the 
old  peasants  used  proudly  to  exclaim,  “Master, 
Just  is  the  makings  of  a saint!” 

His  piety  w^as  not  the  fruit  of  lively  sensibility, 
or  of  an  imagination  inclined  to  mysticism.  It 
was  born  of  a calm,  well-balanced  mind,  enlight- 
ened by  faith  as  logical  as  strong,  and  proved 
its  genuineness  by  kindness  to  all  and  tenderest 
love  for  those  bound  to  him  by  ties  of  flesh  and 
blood.  He  was  devoted  to  his  brother,  his  little 
brother,  as  he  always  felt  Christian  to  be,  and 
whom  he  treated  accordingly.  To  forgive  him 
everything,  to  find  excuses  for  him  under  all  cir- 
cumstances, to  efface  himself  in  his  favor,  this  was 
Just’s  policy  in  regard  to  Christian.  There  were 
seldom  any  contentions  betw^een  them,  but  w’hen 
one  did  arise  Just  nearly  always  yielded  wdth 
perfect  good  humor.  One  day,  after  a very 
heavy  fall  of  snow,  the  boys  built  a snow  house 
tw’elve  feet  in  height.  They  were  sitting  on  the 
top  of  it,  admiring  their  work  and  planning  some 
sort  of  ornamentation,  wTen  a dispute  arose  as  to 
just  what  it  should  be.  Christian  insisted  that  his 
idea  should  be  follow^ed.  Just  liked  his  own  better, 
and  in  a sudden  burst  of  anger  Christian  snatched 
a tool  which  his  brother  held  in  his  hand.  Not 
prepared  for  the  jerk  Just  lost  his  balance  and 
fell  to  the  snow-covered  ground  below\  For  a 
moment  he  was  stunned,  but  as  soon  as  he  could 


Just  de  Bretenières 


13 


rise  laughed  good-naturedly  over  the  mishap, 
which  he  attributed  to  his  awkwardness,  and  the 
two  boys  amicably  resumed  their  discussion.  To 
the  end  their  brotherly  love  was  deep  and  tender. 
The  last  letter  that  Just  wrote  before  he  left 
France  forever  was  his  farewell  to  Christian. 

Towards  the  servants  he  was  particularly 
gentle,  never  asking  special  service  unless  he  was 
obliged  to,  and  then  always  politely.  Only  once 
did  his  mother  hear  him  give  an  order  imperi- 
ously. Reproved  and  told  to  make  some  sort  of 
reparation.  Just  instantly  went  in  search  of  the 
man  to  whom  he  had  been  rude.  Finding  him  in 
the  midst  of  the  other  servants  of  the  household 
he  said  bravely,  “I  beg  your  pardon  for  having 
spoken  so  brusquely.” 

In  1848,  when  Just  was  ten  years  of  age,  the 
great  Père  Lacordaire  preached  the  Advent  ser- 
mons at  Dijon  and  during  his  stay  there  called 
upon  M.  and  Mme.  de  Bretenières.  Just  chanced 
to  be  in  the  room  at  the  time  of  the  visit  and  his 
mother  made  him  a sign  to  come  forward  and  ask 
the  famous  preacher’s  blessing.  Instead  of  giving 
it  Père  Lacordaire  took  the  boy  into  his  arms, 
saying,  “This  child  is  already  blessed.” 

The  love  of  work  which  became  one  of  Just’s 
marked  characteristics  manifested  itself  at  an  age 
when  most  boys  must  be  driven  to  their  tasks. 
Even  his  play  usually  took  the  form  of  some  use- 
ful occupation.  He  was  only  six  or  seven  years 
of  age  when  he  cultivated  a little  garden,  with  all 
the  ardor  of  which  he  was  capable;  at  eight  he 


14 


For  The  Faith 


began  to  collect  specimens  of  minerals  and  in 
time  learned  to  judge  fossils  with  unusual  accur- 
acy. One  by  one,  and  almost  unaided,  he  learned 
several  trades  and  arts;  he  became  carpenter, 
joiner,  sculptor,  doing  each  kind  of  w^ork  ex- 
ceptionally well. 

Everything  about  their  father’s  household  was 
made  subservient  to  the  boys’  best  interests.  Their 
parents  put  aside  all  that  might  have  interrupted 
their  lessons  or  in  any  way  interfered  with  them. 
The  house  became  like  a college,  almost  like  a 
monastery.  Study  hours  and  classes  succeeded 
each  other  in  unvarying  routine,  and  recreations 
were  as  systematically  arranged.  For  a few  years 
M.  and  Mme.  de  Bretenières  kept  the  children’s 
education  almost  entirely  in  their  own  hands,  but 
in  1849  they  engaged  as  tutor  a French  priest — 
Father  Hilaire — who  w^as  witty,  learned,  and  de- 
vout, but  very  frail.  The  delicacy  of  his  health 
gave  Just  innumerable  opportunities  to  exercise 
his  thoughtful  kindness.  For  many  months  he 
hurried  to  Father  Hilaire’s  room  early  every 
morning  to  help  him  to  dress,  and  in  many  other 
w’ays  showed  a sympathy  and  tenderness  unusual 
in  a boy  of  his  years. 

When,  at  length,  the  state  of  his  health  obliged 
Father  Hilaire  to  give  up  all  work  M.  de  Bre- 
tenières chose  the  Abbé  Gautrelet  to  replace  him. 
At  first  sight  the  new  preceptor  was  impressed  by 
the  gentleness  and  candor  of  the  boys  and  the 
extreme  simplicity  with  wTich  they  were  dressed. 
It  was  in  the  garden  that  he  met  them.  After  a 


Just  de  Bretenières 


t5 


few  minutes  they  led  him  to  the  house,  talking 
of  a trip  which  the  family  had  taken  a short 
time  before.  When  they  reached  the  library  Just 
spread  a map,  on  one  of  the  tables  and  pointed 
out  the  way  over  which  they  had  traveled,  charm- 
ingly relating  little  incidents  which  had  occurred 
during  the  trip.  Suddenly  interrupting  himself,  he 
said,  “It’s  your  turn  now,  Christian;  I am  tired.” 
And  his  brother  continued  the  story  as  interest- 
ingly as  it  had  been  begun. 

The  boys  were  delighted  to  have  a young 
teacher,  full  of  life  and  fun,  and  the  Abbé  Gau- 
trelet  was  charmed  by  his  new  pupils.  Just  he 
described  as  having  an  attractive  face,  framed 
by  light  brown,  waving  hair,  and  he  admitted 
that  the  extreme  fineness  of  temperament  be- 
trayed by  his  voice,  his  manner,  his  features,  had 
troubled  him.  “All  through  the  first  night  that  I 
spent  in  the  house,”  he  related,  “I  lay  awake 
trying  to  foresee  Just’s  future,  but  my  dreams, 
bright  as  they  were,  were  far  surpassed  by  the 
glory  destined  to  be  his.” 

“From  that  day,”  the  Abbé  Gautrelet  wrote, 
years  later,  “there  began  for  me  a joy  which 
lasted  for  several  years.  I determined  from  the 
first  to  do  all  in  my  power  to  keep  those  dear 
boys,  as  I found  them:  gentle,  and  good,  and  very 
close  to  God.”  In  notes  which  he  wrote  at  the 
request  of  Just’s  first  biographer  the  Abbé  Gau- 
trelet said  that  the  boy  was  attractive  and  love- 
able, and  so  even-tempered  that  during  the  nine 
years  which  he  spent  with  the  family  only  two 


16 


For  The  Faith 


or  three  times  did  Just  become  irritable.  He 
habitually  considered  the  comfort  and  conven- 
ience of  others  before  his  own;  he  played  all 
games  willingly,  but  more  often  from  a desire  to 
give  pleasure  than  because  he  cared  for  them. 
For  a time  both  boys  found  a certain  game  of 
cards  very  amusing  and  played  it  frequently. 
One  day  their  game  was  postponed  because  a 
trifling  incident  interfered  with  it.  Just  com- 
plained, and  cried  a little,  saying  that  there  was 
no  reason  why  they  should  not  play  as  usual.  As 
a punishment  the  boys  were  not  allowed  to  play 
that  game  again. 

Intellectually  Just  was  richly  endowed.  He 
seemed  to  have  a special  aptitude  for  every 
branch  to  which  he  applied  himself.  He  studied 
w^ell,  but  as  a child  was  subject  to  rather  long 
periods  of  distraction.  He  would  lose  himself 
and  dream — probably  of  the  priesthood,  the  goal 
of  all  his  desires — until  his  attention  was  called. 
He  would  blush  then,  and  disarm  reproof  by  ad- 
mitting that  he  had  forgotten  himself  and  by 
promising  to  try  to  do  better. 

It  would  seem  that  a pupil  so  pious,  docile, 
studious,  amiable  would  have  won  the  affection 
of  a master  who  could  find  in  him  no  fault  ex- 
cept a too  great  shrinking  from  suffering.  But, 
though  appreciating  his  remarkable  qualities  of 
mind  and  heart  the  Abbé  Gautrelet  grew  to  feel 
a sort  of  antipathy  for  Just  and  did  not  hesitate 
to  show  it.  He  thought — mistakenly — that  M. 
and  Mme.  de  Bretenières  favored  Just  above 


Just  de  Bretenières 


17 


Christian,  and  resolved  to  balance  the  prefer- 
ence by  giving  his  to  the  younger  brother.  He 
feared  that  Just’s  rapid  progress  would  discour- 
age Christian,  less  gifted  and  of  less  even  dis- 
position, so  to  the  boys  themselves  and  to  their 
parents  he  spoke  only  of  Just’s  mistakes  and  of 
Christian’s  successes.  His  intention,  originally 
good,  if  a little  unwise,  developed  into  a real  pre- 
judice against  Just,  who  never  complained  and 
never  resented  it. 

“Christian’s  affection  for  me,”  the  Abbé  Gau- 
trelet  wrote,  “was  very  demonstrative,  and  I re- 
turned it.  Just,  as  willing  as  his  brother  to  be 
friendly,  I repulsed  so  often  that  at  last  the  child 
understood  and  held  himself  aloof.  He  said 
nothing,  but  in  the  course  of  time  a trifling  incident 
showed  me  that  he  keenly  felt  my  coldness.  One 
day  I was  walking  up  and  down  reading  a book. 
Just  came  close  to  me  and  thinking  he  was  Chris- 
tian I put  out  my  hand  and  pressed  his  affection- 
ately. As  quick  as  a flash  he  threw  his  arms 
around  my  neck,  crying,  ‘Oh,  thank  you!  Thank 
you!  Do  you  love  me  a little,  too?’  The  incident 
made  a deep  impression  upon  me,  and  from  that 
hour  I changed  my  manner  towards  him. 

“I  confess  that  during  my  first  years  with  the 
family  I did  almost  nothing  to  stimulate  Just’s 
progress,  spiritual  or  mental,  but  he  had  so  strong 
a sense  of  duty  that  he  worked  steadily  despite 
my  negligence  and  my  rebuffs.  It  is  true  that  I 
knew  his  rich  nature  and  relied  on  his  excellent 
dispositions,  and  acted  as  I did  in  the  interests  of 


18 


For  The  Faith 


his  brother.  I feared  the  too  rapid  progress  of 
the  elder  boy  whose  future  gave  me  no  uneasiness. 
For  him  I dreaded  success,  for  Christian  discour- 
agement. This  is  my  only  excuse.” 

The  boys  made  splendid  progress  under  the 
Abbé  Gautrelet’s  tuition,  and  the  watchful  care 
of  their  parents  who  took  a deep  interest  in  their 
studies.  “I  am  certain  that  from  the  time  they 
were  mere  children  neither  Just  nor  Christian 
was  ever  idle  for  a quarter  of  an  hour,”  the  Abbé 
Gautrelet  testified.  By  way  of  recreation  from 
their  studies  and  other  duties,  the  boys  made  col- 
lections of  minerals,  birds,  and  fossils.  Every 
year  excursions,  taken  during  their  vacations,  gave 
them  opportunities  to  enlarge  these  collections, 
and  the  winter  evenings  were  spent  in  classifying 
their  finds,  labeling  the  fossils,  and  analyzing  the 
minerals.  Just  became  expert  in  stuffing  birds. 
Christian  told  in  later  years  how  they  had  had 
but  one  gun  between  them.  “Of  course,”  he  said, 
“Just  left  for  me  the  pleasanter  part  in  our  hunt- 
ing expeditions.  He  pretended  not  to  see  well 
enough  to  take  accurate  aim,  so  the  gun  was 
nearly  always  in  my  hands,  and  he  carried  our 
provisions  and  our  booty.  However,  on  the  rare 
occasions  that  he  did  shoot  he  was  very  success- 
ful, so  I knew  that  he  had  other  motives  than 
those  he  gave  for  leaving  the  better  part  to  me.” 

Thus  did  the  boys  grow  up,  most  carefully 
guarded  and  guided,  protected  from  idleness  and 
all  its  dangers,  and  stimulated  by  good  example. 
They  responded  admirably  to  their  training,  be- 


Just  de  Bretenières 


19 


coming  strong  of  mind  and  body,  tender  of  heart, 
pure  of  soul,  the  joy  and  comfort  of  their  pa- 
rents, and  the  edification  of  the  parish.  Their 
piety  was  pra"ctical,  undemonstrative,  deep.  Of 
Just  the  Abbé  Gautrelet  said,  “Unless  I am 
greatly  mistaken  he  never  lost  his  baptismal  in- 
nocence.” And  among  notes  made  by  his  mother 
the  following  was  found:  “One  of  the  great  sor- 
rows of  Just’s  life  was  that  he  once  told  a lie. 
He  was  accused  of  a great  fault  which  he  had 
not  committed.  Seeing  that  his  accuser  was  con- 
vinced of  his  guilt  and  determined  that  he  should 
avow  it,  and  in  his  purity  not  even  understanding 
the  nature  of  the  fault.  Just  said  that  he  had 
committed  it.  It  cost  him  dear  to  refrain  from 
speaking  of  the  matter  to  me,  as  he  was  told  to 
do.  It  was  only  on  the  eve  of  his  ordination  to 
the  sub-deaconate  that  he  talked  to  me  about  it. 
He  was  still  inconsolable  over  having  been  un- 
truthful.” 

In  1851  began  a series  of  excursions  which  for 
nine  years  filled  the  boys’  vacations,  and  made 
them  familiar  with  every  corner  of  Switzerland, 
Savoy,  and  parts  of  the  surrounding  provinces. 
These  journeys  were  made  afoot,  with  a sack 
strapped  to  each  one’s  back  and  a geologist’s 
hammer  in  his  hand.  Their  father  and  some- 
times even  their  mother  took  part  in  the  excur- 
sions. Rain,  heat,  cold,  fatigue,  hunger,  and 
thirst  were  often  the  portion  of  the  travelers, 
and  more  than  once  they  saw  danger  at  close 
range.  Recreation  and  instruction  were  not  the 


20 


For  The  Faith 


only  ends  M.  de  Bretenières  had  in  view.  He 
wished  to  strengthen  the  bodies  and  the  charac- 
ters of  his  sons  by  accustoming  them  to  hard- 
ship. Just  loved  the  wandering  life  of  these 
vacations,  not  because  of  an  intense  interest  in 
their  collections  or  from  a thirst  for  adventure: 
he  considered  it  a novitiate  for  his  future  labors 
as  a missioner.  He  made  a point  of  bearing 
gaily  fatigue,  heat,  and  thirst.  He  never  even 
showed  that  he  was  tired.  No  matter  how  great 
the  heat  he  did  not  drink  at  the  springs  which 
the  others  hailed  with  delight.  Whether  the 
day’s  walk  was  through  a hot  valley  or  over  the 
snow  of  some  mountain-top  he  made  no  differ- 
ence in  his  clothing,  and  was  ingenious  in  manag- 
ing to  get  for  his  share  the  greater  part  of 
their  specimens  and  provisions.  He  never  al- 
lowed his  father  or  Christian  to  be  burdened, 
but  for  hours  would  carry  a very  hea\^^  load, 
smilingly,  merrily;  and  even  if  it  was  late  when 
they  reached  the  end  of  the  day's  march  he  did 
not  go  to  bed  until  he  had  sorted  whatever  spec- 
imens they  had  found.  So  deeply  did  he  appear 
to  be  interested  in  these  things  that  more  than 
once  his  father  said  to  Mme.  de  Bretenières, 
“You  see  Just  no  longer  thinks  of  becoming  a 
priest.”  But  year  after  year  when  they  reached 
home  and  the  winter’s  work  was  about  to  begin 
Just  would  whisper  to  his  mother,  “Don’t  worry 
about  my  future.  You  know  my  Intentions.” 

His  first  reason  for  the  ardor  with  which  he 
entered  into  the  family  excursions  was,  undoubt- 


THE  COLLEGE  OF  ST.  FRANCIS  DE  SALES  AT  DIJON,  FRANCE 
(Formerly  the  city  residence  of  the  family  de  Bretenières) 


Just  de  Bretenières 


21 


edly,  a desire  to  accustom  himself  to  hardships 
such  as  fall  to  the  lot  of  every  missioner.  After 
his  entrance  into  the  seminary  he  said,  when 
Christian  recalled  the  fact  that  he  had  always 
refused  to  make  himself  comfortable  by  taking 
off  his  coat  or  vest,  “I  wished  to  see  how  a priest 
suffers  who  cannot  remove  his  cassock  however 
intense  the  heat.  Was  it  not  well  to  accustom 
myself  in  advance  to  the  little  discomforts  of  the 
state  I longed  to  embrace?”  He  wished,  too,  to 
nourish  in  Christian  a love  for  pleasures  which 
would  be  a safeguard  after  he  was  gone.  Shortly 
before  he  left  home  he  admitted  to  a priest  who 
was  a close  friend  of  the  family  that  he  had 
never  had  any  interest  in  their  collections  except 
for  his  brother’s  sake. 

In  the  autumn  of  1857,  when  Just  was  nine- 
teen years  of  age,  by  the  advice  of  his  director 
he  spoke  to  his  parents  of  his  intention  of  be- 
coming a priest.  They  made  no  objection,  but 
believed  that  they  did  well  to  ask  him  to  wait 
for  two  years  and  to  say  nothing  of  the  matter 
to  Christian.  Just  submitted.  For  two  years 
more  he  continued  to  be  his  brother’s  constant 
companion  and  devoted  friend.  Their  studies 
were  continued  together;  their  usual  trips  were 
taken,  and  others  which  secured  for  them  glimp- 
ses of  the  world  to  which  their  social  position 
gave  them  entrance. 

When  the  appointed  time  had  passed  Just- 
begged  his  parents’  permission  to  leave  home, 
arguing  that  he  was  twenty-one  years  old  and 


22 


For  The  Faith 


would  not  be  ready  for  ordination  at  the  per- 
mitted age  if  he  waited  longer,  and  reminding 
them  of  the  crying  need  for  priests.  M.  and  Mme. 
de  Bretenières  gave  their  consent  and  it  remained 
only  for  Just  to  decide  what  was  his  exact  voca- 
tion. He  longed  for  the  most  entire  sacrifice 
possible  and  felt  that  perfection  pointed  to  a 
union  of  religious  life  with  work  in  a foreign 
land.  The  missions  held  first  place  in  his  heart. 
For  years  his  favorite  reading  had  been  the  his- 
tory of  the  cruel  persecutions  of  the  Orient  and 
the  lives  of  martyrs  and  confessors  in  China, 
which  had  strengthened  ever  more  and  more  his 
love  for  the  foreign  apostolate.  The  Dominican 
Order,  with  its  high  ideal  of  the  religious  life 
and  the  precious  treasure  it  possessed  in  the  mis- 
sions confided  to  its  care  would,  he  believed,  sat- 
isfy all  his  longings.  Because  he  knew,  loved, 
and  revered  many  Dominican  Fathers  his  direc- 
tor, as  well  as  NI.  and  Mme.  Bretenières,  feared 
that  his  devotion  to  the  great  Order  had  its  roots 
in  mere  natural  feeling,  so  they  advised  him  to 
go  to  Paris  and  consult  some  one  entirely  dis- 
interested. Just  made  some  objections  to  the 
plan,  but  did  as  he  was  told,  Christian  all  of 
this  time  knowing  nothing  of  the  momentous  in- 
terviews which  were  being  held  between  Just  and 
their  parents,  nothing  of  the  proud  but  lonely 
tears  of  the  old  people  nor  of  Just’s  tremulous 
joy. 

The  superior  general  of  the  Sulpicians,  whom 
he  consulted  in  Paris,  advised  at  least  one  year’s 


Just  de  Bretenières 


23 


sojourn  in  the  seminary  of  Issy,  during  which 
time  Just  could  prayerfully  consider  his  vocation 
to  the  Dominican  Order.  Just  prepared  to  fol- 
low this  advice,  though  in  his  own  heart  there 
was  no  doubt  that  he  was  called  to  the  religious 
life. 

On  the  first  day  of  October  Christian  and  he 
were  together  in  what  had  been  their  school 
room.  Christian  outlined  an  elaborate  course  of 
study  for  the  coming  winter.  Just  said  nothing. 
“Well,  shall  we  begin  it?”  Christian  asked.  “For 
me  all  this  is  over,”  his  brother  replied,  and  he 
explained  that  he  intended  to  enter  the  seminary. 
Christian  was  deeply  moved,  deeply  grieved,  and 
much  surprised.  Many  things  in  regard  to  his 
brother  which  he  had  not  understood  before  be- 
came clear  to  him  at  that  moment.  Just’s  sweet- 
ness, his  spirit  of  mortification,  his  whole  man- 
ner of  life  were  explained.  Not  for  an  instant 
did  he  doubt  the  reality  of  his  brother’s  vocation. 
He  saw  plainly  evidence  of  God’s  call  on  the  one 
side,  and  on  the  other  of  constant  fidelity  to 
grace.  Instead  of  trying  to  hold  the  brother 
who  was  his  best,  almost  his  only  friend,  he  did 
what  he  could  to  strengthen  his  resolution. 


24 


For  The  Faith 


CHAPTER  III. 

The  Seminary  at  Issy. 

On  the  nineteenth  of  November,  1859,  Just 
entered  the  seminary  at  Issy.  From  the  first  joy 
overflowed  his  heart  in  his  new  surroundings. 
He  was  more  completely  at  home  than  he  had 
ever  been  before,  reveled  in  the  spirit  of  the 
place,  and  laughed  at  the  little  privations  that 
fell  to  his  lot.  The  discomforts  of  his  cell, 
which  had  an  unsatisfactory  grate  and  was  in- 
credibly small,  he  found  extremely  amusing.  “I 
should  be  miserable  with  a big  room  and  an 
antechamber,”  he  told  his  grandfather.  His 
fellow  students  edified  him,  and  of  the  profess- 
ors he  could  not  say  enough  in  praise.  To  the 
Abbé  Gautrelet  he  wrote,  “Here  a newcomer  is 
received  like  an  old  friend.  He  finds  himself  in 
the  midst  of  a hundred  brothers  who  do  all  in 
their  power  to  make  him  feel  at  home,  and 
simply  load  him  with  kindness.”  And  in  a letter 
to  one  of  his  relatives,  he  said  rapturously,  “Pic- 
ture to  yourself  our  big  household  where  the  pro- 
fessors are  fathers  rather  than  masters,  where 
we  students  kindly  point  out  to  one  another  our 
little  faults  and  treat  one  another  with  a gentle- 
ness, charity,  and  affability  which  remind  me  of 
what  one  reads  of  the  early  ages  of  the  Church 


Just  de  Bretenières 


25 


— picture  all  this,  and  you  will  have  an  idea  of 
the  atmosphere  in  which  I am  living.” 

Class  work  was  new  to  him  and  he  found  it 
delightful.  “I  had  imagined,”  he  wrote,  “that 
nothing  could  be  graver  than  a professor  of 
philosophy  in  his  chair.  I was  greatly  mistaken. 
Our  classes  are  so  attractive  that  even  if  it  were 
not  of  rule  to  assist  at  them,  we  should  do  so 
voluntarily.  Two  or  three  of  us  recite,  and  if 
we  say  something  ridiculous  the  rest  laugh — but 
no  one  minds  that.  Discussion  of  the  subject 
matter  follows,  then  explanations,  given  with  so 
much  spirit  and  gaiety  that  the  hour  passes  all 
too  quickly.” 

Richly  endowed  and  very  studious  Just  did 
remarkably  well  in  his  classes.  To  the  work  re- 
quired he  added  the  study  of  harmony,  and  he 
volunteered  to  give  a German  lesson  each  week 
to  one  of  the  professors.  “Often,”  as  this  pro- 
fessor afterwards  related,  “we  began  to  talk 
of  God,  and  Just  would  tell  me  of  his  desire 
for  the  Foreign  Missions.  It  filled  me  with  ad- 
miration to  hear  him  speak  of  holy  things.  Many 
a time  German  was  forgotten,  and  at  the  end  of 
our  hour  we  laughingly  put  off  the  lesson  until 
the  following  week.” 

Appointed  to  serve  in  the  refectory,  Just  loved 
his  humble  work  and  was  greatly  amused  over 
his  difficulties.  It  was  customary  to  feed  the 
poor  after  dinner  time,  and  he  was  overjoyed 
whenever  his  turn  came,  and  eagerly  replaced 
anyone  who  was  prevented  from  doing  duty  on 


26 


For  The  Faith 


his  appointed  day.  It  pleased  as  v/ell  as  amused 
him,  to  hear  the  beggars  call  him  Father. 

Soon  after  he  entered  the  seminary  several 
of  his  fellow  students  received  their  cassocks, 
and  envying  their  lot  he  wrote  to  his  parents, 
“This  is  a day  of  days  for  some  of  my  compan- 
ions who  have  the  joy  of  wearing  their  cassocks 
for  the  first  time.  How  I envy  them  I Father 
Superior,  who  is  very  kind,  so  kind  that  not 
knowing  him  you  have  no  idea  how  kind  he  is, 
says  that  I may  ask  your  permission  to  receive 
mine  on  the  Feast  of  the  Immaculate  Concep- 
tion. May  I do  so?  What  a day  the  Eighth 
will  be  for  me  if  you  consent  ! Do  not  fear  that 
this  would  separate  me  from  you.  Quite  the 
contrary!  — I think  of  you  constantly,  and  if 
there  were  no  dear  Lord  and  no  Blessed  Mother 
to  replace  you  I should  regret  having  left  home. 
I find  it  very  hard  to  fill  dear  Christian’s  place. 
I am  always  on  the  watch  among  the  new  broth- 
ers whom  God  has  given  me  for  those  who  are 
most  like  him;  but  no  friend,  however  dear,  can 
make  me  forget  him.  I shall  be  so  happy  when 
I see  him  again.’’ 

Just,  inured  to  mortification,  had  expected  to 
be  required  to  practice  it  rigorously  at  Issy,  and 
at  first  was  scandalized  to  find  the  meals  so  plen- 
tiful and  so  appetizing.  “I  wished  to  fare  like  a 
Capuchin  and  I am  indulging  in  sweetmeats!’’  he 
exclaimed.  “I  tell  it  in  a whisper,  for  it  is  shame- 
ful, is  it  not,  for  a seminarian?  But  I repeat  to 
you  what  I heard  one  of  my  new  brothers  say 


Just  de  Bretenières 


27 


the  other  day:  ‘It  isn’t  my  fault  that  I dine  so 
well.’  ” 

At  his  advancement  in  the  spiritual  life  Just 
worked  with  intense  earnestness,  convinced  that 
before  his  entrance  into  the  seminary  he  had 
done  nothing.  This,  indeed,  was  his  life  work. 
One  who  knew  him  well  at  Issy  said,  “Just  told 
me  that  it  was  at  this  time  he  really  learned  to 
pray.  God  began  to  draw  him  very  close  to  Him- 
self by  the  prayer  of  simplicity.  He  prayed  with- 
out distractions.  His  director,  not  quite  under- 
standing the  way  in  which  God  was  leading  him 
and  wishing  to  be  certain  that  he  was  not  de- 
luded, told  him  to  commit  to  writing  some  of  his 
prayers.  Having  examined  them  he  gave  Just 
entire  liberty  to  continue  in  the  way  he  had  be- 
gun.’’ 

Meanwhile  Just  was  trying  to  learn  God’s  will 
in  his  regard.  Undoubtedly  the  union  of  the 
religious  life  with  the  foreign  apostolate  was  his 
ideal,  but  the  missions  had  first  place  in  his  heart 
and  if  he  entered  a religious  order  he  could  not 
be  certain  that  he  would  ever  be  a missioner,  for 
his  work  would  be  what  his  superior  assigned 
to  him.  Little  by  little,  after  much  prayer,  much 
thought,  much  suffering  of  mind  and  heart,  he 
came  to  believe  that  it  was  to  the  Foreign  Mis- 
sion Seminary  in  Paris  that  God  was  directing 
him.  The  way  he  trod  before  reaching  his  de- 
cision was  long,  rough,  and  difficult,  and  at  the 
time  his  studies  were  unusually  exacting  because 
he  had  entered  the  classes  two  months  after  they 


28 


For  The  Faith 


opened.  The  strain  was  too  great  and  affected 
his  health.  He  became  subject  to  violent  head- 
aches, he  slept  poorly,  and  his  appetite  failed. 
Given  permission  to  go  home  for  a rest  he 
availed  himself  of  the  privilege  only  when  he 
was  too  miserable  to  do  his  work,  and  always 
returned  as  soon  as  he  felt  better.  During  the 
days  spent  with  his  family  he  and  Christian  re- 
sumed their  long  walks  in  search  of  specimens 
and  worked  among  their  collections. 

Shortly  after  Pentecost  Just  received  tonsure. 
He  had  fallen  ill  with  an  acute  attack  of  rheu- 
matism and  to  the  day  of  the  ordinations  it  was 
uncertain  whether  he  would  be  able  to  go  to 
the  chapel.  But  when  the  hour  came  he  had  re- 
covered sufficiently  to  move  about  without  in- 
tense pain,  and  with  angelic  fervor  he  took  his 
part  in  the  long  ceremony.  Six  weeks  later  the 
seminary  closed  for  the  summer  vacation  and 
he  returned  to  his  family,  to  carry  out  at  home, 
as  nearly  as  possible,  the  regulation  which  he 
had  learned  to  lean  upon  and  to  love.  Every 
morning  he  gave  the  hours  from  five  until  eight 
o’clock  to  prayer  and  the  hearing  of  Mass, 
after  which  he  and  Christian  hunted,  walked, 
or  worked  among  their  treasures.  Every  day, 
too,  he  devoted  some  time  to  letter  writing,  be- 
lieving that  seminarians  can  more  easily  keep 
their  fervor  if  they  are  closely  united  during 
vacation-time.  As  to  choice  of  correspondents 
he  did  not  consult  his  natural  affection  for  some 


Just  de  Bretenières 


29 


of  the  students,  but  wrote  to  those  whose  names 
had  been  given  him  by  his  director. 

A letter  written  to  the  Abbé  Gautrelet  during 
a trip  which  the  family  made  relates  the  follow- 
ing incident,  with  the  charming  gaiety  which 
characterized  Just:  “Without  preamble  I am 

going  to  copy  for  you  a passage  in  the  Gazette, 
a paper  printed  here  three  times  a week,  which 
you  are  not  at  all  likely  to  see.  ‘The  day  before 
yesterday  three  men,  suspected  of  the  robbery  in 
the  church  of  Tresse-en-Comte,  were  arrested  in 
the  railway  station  of  our  city.  Evidently  they 
were  attempting  to  escape  to  Switzerland.  One 
of  them,  who  said  he  is  the  father  of  the  others, 
is  of  medium  height,  has  gray  hair,  and  a short 
gray  beard.  He  looks  to  be  fifty-five  or  sixty 
years  of  age,  but  is  hale,  erect,  and  full  of  en- 
ergy. The  second  is  tall  and  thin.  He  had 
probably  stolen  his  clothes  in  an  attempt  to 
disguise  himself,  for  his  coat  is  much  too  small 
for  him.  The  third,^  who  appears  to  be  the 
youngest  of  the  party,  wears  ecclesiastical  dress 
as  his  disguise.  They  carried  hammers,  scissors, 
and  other  tools  which  told  against  them.  Of 
course  all  three  feigned  to  know  nothing  about 
the  robbery,  but  five  policemen  took  them  in 
custody  and  conducted  them  through  the  crowded 
streets  of  the  city  to  the  police  station  and  from 
there  to  the  court  house  where  they  were  closely 
questioned.  The  eldest  of  the  party  insisted  on 
telegraphing  to  the  mayor  of  Dijon  whom  he 


1 Just  looked  younger  than  Christian. 


30 


For  The  Faith 


claims  to  know.  They  were  all  allowed  to  re- 
turn to  their  hotel  for  the  night  under  the  sur- 
veillance of  two  policemen.  The  case  was  to 
be  trie'd  in  Lure,  and  on  the  follow^ing  day  they 
w^ere  taken  there  by  railroad,  instead  of  on  foot, 
as  they  offered  to  pay  the  fare.  At  Lure  a num- 
ber of  policemen  awaited  them  and  the  party 
could  hardly  make  a way  through  the  excited 
crowd  which  had  gathered  to  see  the  criminals. 
Our  correspondent  in  Lure  has  not  yet  sent  his 
account  of  the  sequel  of  the  affair,  so  our  read- 
ers must  wait  for  the  next  issue  to  learn  the  end 
of  the  story.’  ” 

Just  broke  off  at  this  point  to  admit  laughingly 
that  there  was  no  such  paper  as  the  Gazette,  and 
that  his  father,  Christian,  and  himself  were  the 
three  men  who  had  been  arrested  and  dragged 
before  two  judges  and  from  one  town  to  an- 
other before  they  were  able  to  prove  their  inno- 
cence. Aferwards,  he  told  some  one  at  the  semi- 
nary that  it  had  cut  him  to  the  quick  to  see  his 
ecclesiastical  dress  share  in  humiliations  which 
otherwise  would  have  filled  him  with  joy. 

In  October,  1860,  Just  returned  to  Issy  for 
his  second  and  last  year  there.  He  was  ap- 
pointed organist  and  infirmarian,  so  his  hands 
were  full  indeed.  As  he  wrote,  in  one  of  the 
few  letters  for  which  he  found  time,  “I  have 
just  passed  my  half  yearly  examinations  and  we 
have  very  little  sickness  now,  so  I have  a few 
free  hours  on  my  hands.  This  year  we  have  been 
through  a siege  of  fevers,  grippe,  sore  throat, 


Just  de  Bretenières 


31 


and  all  known  maladies.  The  strangest  part  of 
it  all  is  the  blind  confidence  my  fellow  students 
have  in  me  simply  because  I am  infirmarian. 
They  are  so  good-natured  that  I gain  no  merit 
in  waiting  on  them.  I am  afraid  that  at  first  I 
grieved  a little  over  this,  but  I do  so  no  longer. 
I see  that  God  fits  the  burden  to  my  back  in 
giving  me  only  good  patients.”  By  nature  Just 
had  no  aptitude  for  nursing.  Careless  of  physical 
comfort  for  himself,  he  was  not  ingenious  in  pro- 
viding the  little  devices  which  help  so  much  in 
the  sick'  room.  But  charity  is  a good  teacher,  and 
his  kindness,  gentleness,  and  willingness  were 
powerful  helps. 

On  a certain  day  in  May  he  spent  some 
hours  at  home,  and  afterwards  his  father  ac- 
companied him  to  Issy.  On  their  way  Just  told 
him  that  he  wished  to  enter  the  Foreign  Mis- 
sion Seminary.  Soon  he  spoke  of  the  matter 
again  to  both  his  parents.  The  interview  was 
heartrending.  M.  de  Bretenières  foresaw  for 
his  wife,  himself,  and  Christian  a future  over- 
shadowed by  the  pain  of  separation  with  no  hope 
of  a return;  for  Just,  the  hard  life  of  a mis- 
sioner,  perhaps  a cruel  death;  and  he  felt  that 
he  could  not  bear  so  great  a trial.  The  mother 
was  braver.  She  was  able  to  thank  God  for 
having  given  her  son  so  sublime  a vocation,  and 
heroically  and  promptly  m.ade  her  sacrifice. 

Just  explained  his  plans  with  no  trace  of  emo- 
tion in  his  face  or  voice.  When  he  was  done 
and  his  parents  made  no  reply  he  was  discon- 


32 


For  The  Faith 


certed,  and  fearful  of  giving  way,  said  with  en- 
ergy: “Nothing  will  ever  turn  me  from  the  path 
God  is  pointing  out.  I know  a young  student 
who,  unable  to  obtain  his  parents’  permission, 
secretly  set  sail  for  the  East,  after  having  spent 
a few  months  at  the  Foreign  Mission  Seminary.” 
Later,  Just  bitterly  regretted  having  spoken  thus. 
He  misjudged  his  father  and  mother  in  fearing 
that  they  would  put  obstacles  in  the  way  of  his 
vocation,  and  they  were  cut  to  the  quick  by  his 
lack  of  trust.  So  willing  were  they  to  accept 
God’s  will  that  in  the  evening  of  that  same  day 
M.  de  Bretenières  went  with  his  son  to  the  sem- 
inary and  introducing  him  to  the  superior  beg- 
ged that  he  might  be  admitted  as  an  aspirant 
for  the  missions. 

Just  had  two  months  more  to  spend  at  Issy, 
and  with  characteristic  tranquillity  continued  his 
ordinary  life  there  as  if  nothing  of  importance 
were  pending  for  him.  After  his  martyrdom 
Father  Maréchal,  superior  of  the  seminary  and 
Just’s  director,  wrote  to  M.  and  Mme.  de  Bre- 
tenières, “My  recollections  of  the  two  years 
which  Just  spent  with  us  are  sweet  with  the  per- 
fume of  his  virtue,  but  they  offer  few  incidents. 
His  life  was  without  display  or  ostentation,  but 
beautiful  and  attractive.  The  following  is  the 
entry  which  I made  in  our  register  when  he  left 
us:  ‘Just  de  Bretenières  for  two  years  the  edifi- 
cation of  the  seminary  by  his  piety  and  amiabil- 
ity. His  good  qualities,  the  fruit  of  an  excellent 
education  received  entirely  at  home,  fit  him  for 


CHRISTIAN  DE  BRETENIÈRES  MADAME  DE  BRETENIÈRES,  THE  CHRISTIAN  DE  BRETENIÈRES 
AT  THE  SORBONNE  MOTHER  OF  A MARTYR  AS  A STUDENT  AT  ROME 


Just  de  Bretenières 


33 


great  things.’  Several  times  I thought  of  chang- 
ing the  last  words,  thinking  them  out  of  place  in 
reference  to  the  painful  and  hidden  work  of  a 
missioner.  Now  I understand  them.” 

Just  would  have  liked  to  go  to  the  Rue  du  Bac 
immediately  on  leaving  Issy,  thereby  sparing  him- 
self and  his  loved  ones  the  trial  of  sad  last  days 
at  home.  But  his  director  counseled  otherwise, 
and  he  went  with  his  family  to  Bretenières  to 
pass  the  last  vacation  he  could  ever  have  with 
them,  as  students  of  the  Foreign  Mission  Semi- 
nary spend  their  holidays  together  at  a country 
place  called  Meudon.  During  this  difficult  time 
Just  was  so  calm,  even  gay,  that  M.  de  Breten- 
ières was  hurt,  believing  that  his  son  had  lost  all 
love  for  home.  Even  his  mother  did  not  fully 
understand  the  soreness  of  the  tender  heart  that 
deeply  loved  her,  his  father  and  brother,  the  old 
servants,  the  house,  the  grounds  where  he  had 
played  as  a child,  and  the  little  church  in  which 
he  had  made  his  First  Communion.  During 
those  days  his  affection  clung  to  every  old  as- 
sociation with  a tenderness  such  as  many  never 
feel.  But  though  he  could  be  calm  he  did  not 
trust  himself  to  talk  of  the  coming  separation, 
and  whenever  Christian  mentioned  it  would  turn 
the  subject  with  a little  joke  or  some  remark 
about  the  collections  at  which  they  worked  to- 
gether to  the  last. 

Poor  Just!  He  was  trying  unselfishly,  though 
perhaps  not  very  wisely,  to  make  the  parting  as 
easy  as  possible  for  his  father  and  mother.  To 


34 


For  The  Faith 


know  that  he  was  breaking  their  hearts  was  al- 
most more  than  he  could  bear.  To  one  of  his 
•friends  he  WTote,  “Help  me  by  your  prayers  to 
take  this  step  that  I find  so  painful.  I hope  by 
it  to  learn  my  first  lessons  in  detachment  and 
abandonment  of  all  things  to  God.  My  own  de- 
sire is  to  return  to  Paris  in  ten  or  twelve  days, 
but  I feel  that  I ought  to  give  more  time  than 
that  to  my  poor  parents.  I would  a thousand 
times  rather  have  to  combat  opposition.  As  it 
is,  I see  my  father  pine  in  silence,  and  my  mother 
grief  stricken.  Christian  talks  constantly  of  the 
things  we  used  to  do.  God  grant  me  grace  to  be 
firm!  It  is  hard  to  make  others  suffer  so  much. 
But  it  is  a joy  to  know  that  I am  doing  God’s 
will.  Do  pray  for  my  parents.” 

The  end  of  the  vacation  came,  and  accom- 
panied by  IVl.  and  Mme.  de  Bretenières  Just 
passed  for  the  last  time  between  the  gates  of 
the  magnificent  home  of  his  childhood.  For  a 
moment  his  sorrow  slipped  beyond  his  control 
and  with  a.  deep  sigh  he  exclaimed,  “At  last  it 
is  done!”  On  the  nineteenth  of  September  the 
family  knelt  side  by  side  at  Mass  in  the  church 
of  Fontaine-lès-Dijon,  built  on  the  site  of  the 
chateau  in  wTich  St.  Bernard  was  born,  and  that 
evening  they  started  together  for  Paris.  To  the 
end  Just’s  courage  never  failed.  Long  after  his 
parents  had  fallen  into  silence  and  began  fur- 
tively to  wipe  their  eyes.  Just  talked  calmly  and 


Just  de  Bretenières 


35 


encouragingly  to  them,  trying  to  share  with  their 
hearts  the  deep  peace  that  reigned  in  hisd 


1 Father  Walsh,  the  Superior  of  Maryknoll,  recalls  in  connection 
with  the  departure  of  Just  from  his  home  an  incident  mentioned  by 
a saintly  Marist  priest,  Father  Barbier,  who  died  in  Boston  a few 
years  ago. 

Father  Barbier  happened  to  be  at  the  station  when  Just  de  Breten- 
ières stepped  out  of  his  family  carriage  to  take  the  train  for  Paris. 

“That  young  fellow  is  a fool!”  said  the  driver  to  a bystander  as 
the  young  apostle  passed  out  of  hearing.  “He  is  giving  up  a fine 
home  and  everything  worth  living  for  to  go  out  to  China  and  get 
killed.  He  is  certainly  a fool!” 

And  so  he  was— for  Christ’s  sake,  and  of  such  is  the  kingdom 
of  heaven. 


36 


For  The  Faith 


CHAPTER  IV. 

The  Foreign  Mission  Seminx^ry. 

Just’s  reception  at  Rue  du  Bac  was  most  cor- 
dial, but  to  one  accustomed  to  the  atmosphere 
of  an  aristocratic  home  and  the  quiet  refinement 
of  Issy  it  seemed  unceremonious  to  a degree  that 
was  a little  embarrassing.  The  students  gathered 
around  him,  laughingly  saluted  him  as  “Father 
de  Bretenières,”  and  clapped  their  hands  on 
his  shoulders  or  fairly  hugged  him.  Discon- 
certed at  first.  Just  was  quick  to  see  what  treas- 
ures of  virtue  were  concealed  by  the  free  and 
easy  manner  of  his  new  friends.  As  he  wrote 
to  the  Abbé  Gautrelet,  “I  thought  in  the  be- 
ginning that  I was  in  the  midst  of  a happy,  easy- 
going crowd  who  take  things  as  they  come  and 
trouble  themselves  but  little  about  their  inner 
lives.  I was  greatly  mistaken.  Soon  I under- 
stood that  a house  from  which  men  are  sent 
forth  to  do  battle  with  the  devil  in  his  own 
strongholds  must  be  the  object  of  God’s  special 
favors.  If  you  come  to  see  me  this  winter  I 
shall  tell  you  things  that  may  astonish  you  and 
will  surely  convince  you  that  the  day  of  saints 
has  not  passed.” 

But  having  come  to  regard  his  fellow-students 
as  saints  Just  felt  himself  unfit  to  be  their  asso- 


Just  de  Bretenières 


37 


ciate.  As  he  expressed  it,  he  dared  not  raise 
his  eyes  to  them,  and  he  really  suffered  from  a 
sense  of  his  unworthiness,  until  he  learned  to 
think  not  of  what  he  was  but  of  what  he  wished 
to  be.  By  this  road  he  went  forward  rapidly 
and  courageously,  accepting  without  flinching  the 
conditions  imposed  by  Our  Lord  on  those  who 
would  follow  Him  closely:  complete  detachment 
and  entire  renouncement  of  their  own  will.  Con- 
scious of  his  inexperience  in  the  spiritual  life  he 
took  the  simplest  possible  means  of  overcoming 
the  difficulty  and  made  a vow  of  obedience  to  his. 
spiritual  director.  In  spite  of  this  safeguard  he 
often  went  to  extremes  in  his  mortifications  and 
acts  of  humility.  He  was  young  and  lacked  the 
balance  which  only  time  could  give.  Still,  taken 
all  in  all,  his  life  at  the  seminary,  even  in  its 
earliest  days,  was  admirable;  it  was  earnest,  gen- 
erous, ardent. 

The  words  of  Almighty  God  to  Abraham, 
“Leave  thy  country,  thy  family,  and  the  house 
of  thy  father  and  go  to  the  land  which  I shall 
show  you,”  were  often  put  before  the  students 
of  the  Foreign  Mission  Seminary  to  remind  them 
that  perfect  detachment  was  necessary  if  they 
were  to  become  exemplary  missioners.  Just  took 
them  a little  too  literally.  In  some  notes,  written 
by  Mme.  de  Bretenières,  she  says,  “In  the  be- 
ginning of  his  stay  at  the  Foreign  Mission  Semi- 
nary Just  tried  to  break  entirely  with  his  family 
that  he  might  belong  solely  to  God.  This  was 


38  For  The  Faith 

very  painful  to  us.  Soon  he,  himself,  understood 
that  the  thing  was  impossible.” 

He  Vvas  in  love  with  poverty.  “All  my  life,” 
he  wrote,  “I  have  intended  some  day  to  embrace 
a life  of  poverty  not  merely  in  my  affections  but 
effectually.  Day  by  day  my  longing  for  poverty 
increases.  It  seems  to  me  that  everything  I 
.read,  everything  I see,  everything  I hear  tells 
me,  ‘You  are  meant  to  be  stripped  of  all  things; 
keep  only  what  is  indispensible  and  deprive  your- 
self of  all  else.’  They  tell  me  that  affective  pov- 
erty suffices,  but  in  the  bottom  of  my  heart  I 
feel  that  I must  go  farther,  and  all  that  I hear 
does  not  convince  me.  However,  I am  resolved 
to  follow  exactly  and  unquestioningly  whatever 
Father  Albrand  tells  me  in  regard  to  this,  which 
is  the  only  way  I can  be  content.  Probably  I 
am  talking  foolishness  of  things  which  I do  not 
understand  at  all.”  Certainly  Just  wore  the  liv- 
ery of  the  Lady  Poverty.  His  hat  became  a 
by-word  at  the  seminary;  one  pair  of  stout,  un- 
sightly shoes  served  him  for  five  years;  sun  and 
rain  and  long  wear  did  their  worst  for  his  cas- 
sock. His  rabat  became  so  ragged  that  at  last 
even  he  became  convinced  that  it  had  had  its  day, 
and  he  secured  another — out  of  the  sweepings! 
He  was  obliged  to  wear  glasses  at  his  work  and 
rejoiced  to  find  old  Iron  frames  of  archaic  de- 
sign. 

His  love  of  mortification  was  not  less  ardent. 
Finding  his  bed  luxuriously  comfortable  he  put 
his  straw  mattress  on  top  of  the  upper,  softer 


Just  de  Bretenières 


39 


one,  and  used  his  shoes  for  a pillow.  Perhaps 
some  day  on  the  missions  he  would  have  no 
other:  so  he  reasoned.  It  would  be  well,  he 
thought,  to  accustom  himself  to  rest  without  un- 
dressing and  to  sleep  from  time  to  time  on  the 
floor.  Knowing  that  in  the  years  to  come  he 
might  often  be  soaked  with  rain  and  unable  to 
change  his  clothes  he  tried  to  accustom  himself 
not  to  do  so  in  Paris.  An  imprudence  of  this 
kind  cost  him  a serious  illness.  After  an  ex- 
cursion during  which  on  tv/o  successive  days  he 
had  been  drenched  to  the  skin  and  had  refused 
the  coverings  which  his  companions  offered  him 
for  his  bed,  he  had  a severe  attack  of  inflam- 
mation of  the  lungs. 

To  reassure  his  relatives,  who  were  greatly 
alarmed  when  they  learned  of  his  illness,  he 
wrote,  “Experience  has  taught  me  a little  pru- 
dence, so  I am  going  to  follow  all  the  doctor’s 
directions.  I am  drinking  the  water  he  pre- 
scribed, going  to  bed  a little  earlier  than  usual, 
and  getting  up  a little  later.  I am  trying  to  be 
good  to  my  throat  by  keeping  silence,  or  at  least 
talking  less  than  usual.  But  all  this  does  not  in- 
terfere with  my  ordinary  work.”  Nevertheless, 
Christian,  who  stopped  in  Paris  on  his  way  home 
from  a trip  through  Belgium,  found  Just  in  such 
miserable  health  that  he  wrote  at  once  to  his 
parents,  who  begged  the  family  physician  to  take 
their  reckless  son  under  his  care. 

“After  this  illness,”  Mme.  de  Bretenières 
wrote  sadly,  “Just  lost  whatever  remained  to 


40 


For  The  Faith 


him  of  the  appearance  of  vigorous  youth.  His 
cheeks,  until  then  round  and  full  of  color,  be- 
came thin  and  pale;  his  body  became  thin  and 
the  bones  in  his  hands  very  prominent.  He 
looked  more  like  an  anchorite  than  a twenty- 
four  year  old  seminarian.  But  his  gaiety  re- 
mained to  testify  to  the  joy  and  peace  of  his 
soul.  The  mortifications  which  he  practiced  cer- 
tainly caused  the  change  in  his  appearance.” 

Meanwhile  Just’s  soul  was  ever  reaching  for 
higher  and  higher  things.  From  St.  John  of  the 
Cross,  whom  he  deeply  loved,  he  learned  that 
the  man  of  God  should  renounce  spiritual  as 
well  as  earthly  joys.  And  promptly  did  he  re- 
nounce them.  On  the  days  that  the  students 
were  free  to  leave  the  seminary  he  had  become 
accustomed  to  go  to  the  chapel  of  some  religious 
of  Perpetual  Adoration  where  amid  a wealth  of 
flowers  and  lights  Our  Blessed  Lord  was  always 
to  be  seen  under  His  Eucharistic  veils.  To  Just 
the  place  was  almost  heaven.  Perfectly  happy 
he  would  kneel  for  hours  in  a corner  of  the 
chapel.  “How  easily  one  prays  here!”  he  ex- 
claimed more  than  once.  He  acquiesced  readily 
when  asked  to  say  one  of  his  first  Masses  there, 
but  as  the  time  approached  excused  himself.  To 
his  mother  he  confided  the  reason  for  his  re- 
fusal. “I  should  have  had  too  much  happiness 
in  saying  Mass  in  that  lovely  place.  A missioner 
should  not  be  on  the  w^atch  for  spiritual  joys.” 

In  his  desire  for  humility  Just  learned  to  seize 
every  opportunity  of  lowering  himself  in  the 


Just  de  Bretenières 


41 


eyes  of  others,  and  as  far  as  possible  stripped 
himself  of  all  that  in  gesture,  manner,  or  way  of 
speaking  would  betray  the  refinement  and  ele- 
gance of  his  early  surroundings.  He  endeavored 
to  conceal  his  accomplishments,  and  to  hide  him- 
self in  the  crowd.  Often  he  stole  noiselessly 
behind  the  priests  as  they  prayed  alone  in  the 
chapel  and  falling  on  his  knees  kissed  the  hem 
of  their  cassocks.  The  most  menial  tasks  were 
his  choice  : he  swept  the  corridors,  he  cleaned 
the  lamps,  he  waited  upon  all.  On  the  streets  of 
Paris  his  shabbiness  and  pretended  awkwardness 
sometimes  called  forth  joking  remarks  that  de- 
lighted him.  It  must  be  admitted  that  in  his 
pursuit  of  humiliation  Just  more  than  once  went 
to  an  extreme  that  bordered  on  eccentricity. 
After  all  he  was  little  more  than  a boy:  a defect 
more  easily  and  more  quickly  remedied  than  any 
other. 

At  least  one  incident  greatly  troubled  Just’s 
peace  of  soul  at  this  time.  He  expected  to  be 
called  to  Minor  Orders  at  the  close  of  his  first 
year  of  theology,  as  was  the  custom  at  St.  Sul- 
pice,  and  when  the  time  approached  and  the 
subject  was  not  mentioned  he  suffered  cruelly, 
believing  that  his  superiors  had  found  him  unfit 
for  the  work  for  which  his  soul  yearned  with 
ever  growing  intensity.  He  thought  it  best  to 
say  nothing  to  his  director,  but  to  await  in  pa- 
tience the  awful  sentence  which,  he  became  con- 
vinced, was  hanging  over  him;  but  he  spoke  of 
the  matter  to  Christian.  “For  two  days,’’  he 


42 


For  The  Faith 


said,  “I  have  been  in  anguish.  Before  speaking 
to  my  director  I wish  to  give  God  this  sacrifice, 
if  he  wishes^  it  of  me,  and  to  place  myself  en- 
tirely in  His  hands.  It  seems  impossible  to  me 
not  to  become  a missioner.  I have  not  been  able 
to  sleep  these  last  nights,  but  when  I was  too 
much  troubled  I sang  softly  some  hymn  to  the 
Blessed  Virgin.  I have  put  the  matter  in  her 
hands,  which  gives  me  courage  and  makes  me 
better  disposed  to  accept  whatever  God  wills.” 

It  was  only  after  he  had  reduced  his  suffering 
soul  to  indifference,  or  at  least  to  perfect  resig- 
nation, that  he  decided  to  speak  to  Father  Al- 
brand  who  reassured  and  consoled  him.  The 
rule  of  the  Foreign  Mission  Seminary  did  not 
permit  any  student  to  receive  Minor  Orders  as 
soon  as  Just  was  expecting  it.  He  could  not 
hope  for  ordination  for  several  months. 

Just  suffered,  also,  from  time  to  time,  from 
the  discouragement  and  disgust  that  may  assail 
even  the  strongest  souls.  Two  or  three  times  at 
Issy  community  life  had  seemed  to  him  an  in- 
supportable burden,  and  he  had  longed  with  all 
his  heart  to  return  to  his  own  people.  But  the 
trial  had  passed  quickly.  At  the  Foreign  Mis- 
sion Seminary,  also,  he  felt  for  a time  an  intense 
disgust  for  his  work,  his  surroundings — every- 
thing. Thinking  one  day  that  he  could  bear  it 
no  longer,  he  went  to  Father  Albrand  and  told 
him  that  he  could  not  remain  in  the  seminary, 
that  he  had  no  vocation  and  was  obliged  in  con- 
science to  return  to  the  ordinary  walks  of  life. 


Just  de  Bretenières 


43 


Father  Albrand  heard  him  to  the  end,  then 
asked,  smiling,  “Is  that  all  you  wish  to  say  to 
me?”  “Yes,  Father,”  Just  replied.  “Now  go 
back  to  ' your  room  and  think  no  more  of  the 
matter.”  Instantly  the  temptation  lifted.  Speak- 
ing of  the  matter  afterwards  Just  would  laugh 
heartily. 

Ordinarily  he  was  radiantly  happy.  His  ex- 
uberant gaiety  w^as  proverbial.  The  merest  trifle 
sent  him  into  peals  of  laughter  even  in  class  and 
in  the  refectory  where  more  than  once  he  was 
reproved  for  what  was  deemed  unseemly  merri- 
ment. This  light-heartedness  was  to  serve  him 
well  during  the  long,  painful  journey  to  Korea 
and  amid  the  hardships  of  the  life  that  followed. 

In  the  woods  that  surrounded  Meudon  Just 
found  a retired  spot  greatly  to  his  liking.  There 
he  often  went  to  pray  for  the  success  of  the 
missioners  already  at  work  and  to  seek  close 
union  with  God;  and  there  his  prayer  was  so 
blessed  that  it  became  a foretaste  of  heaven. 
On  the  pretext  of  accustoming  himself  to  the 
hardships  awaiting  him  he  obtained  permission 
occasionally  to  pass  a night  there.  One  morn- 
ing a seminarian  who  had  risen  very  early  sur- 
prised him  in  his  retreat.  Just  was  kneeling 
with  his  forehead  against  the  trunk  of  a young 
oak,  completely  wrapt  in  prayer  and  so  motion- 
less that  rabbits  were  frolicing  close  beside  him. 

It  was  under  this  tree  that  Just  and  Chris- 
tian had  their  last  visit  together,  and  after  their 
son  was  gone  M.  and  Mme.  de  Breteniè.res 


44 


For  The  Faith 


loved  to  go  there  to  weep  and  to  pray.  A cross 
cut  in  the  bark  now  marks  what  to  this  day  the 
seminarians  call  “Just’s  tree.”  Every  Friday 
they  gather  around  it  to  sing  the  Passion  of 
Our  Lord  on  the  spot  where  one  of  His  friends 
found  courage  to  follow  Him  unto  death. 

While  Just  w^as  at  the  Foreign  Mission  Semi- 
nary he  began  to  hope  that  Christian,  too,  had 
a vocation  for  the  priesthood.  He  did  all  in  his 
power  to  encourage  it  and  was  overjoyed  when 
at  last  his  brother’s  hesitation  and  trouble  of 
mind  ripened  into  a resolution  to  enter  the  semi- 
nary at  Issy.  When  Just’s  vacation  came  he 
went  there  with  Christian,  both  of  them  being 
eager  to  make  a retreat.  ~ They  had  parted  to 
begin  their  days  of  prayer  wdien  Just,  thinking 
of  the  temptations  and  trials  certain  to  beset 
Christian  during  the  long  hours  of  solitude, 
hastily  wrote  him  these  lines:  “Don’t  be  sur- 
prised, dear  Christian,  to  receive  this  little  word 
from  me.  I am  writing  so  soon  after  leaving 
you  to  say  once  more,  do  not  be  afraid  if  during 
this  retreat  and  your  first  days  as  a seminarian 
the  devil  tries  to  conquer  you  by  temptations  to 
ennui  and  regret  for  the  past.  Don’t  let  such 
feelings  get  the  upper  hand.  Offer  all  the  pain 
to  God,  and  be  joyous  always,  however  trying 
the  feelings  that  may  assail  you.”  Henceforth 
he  and  Christian  were  closer  to  each  other  than 
ever  before.  Their  natural  tie  had  been  strength- 
ened and  elevated.  Just  could  open  his  whole 
heart  to  his  brother,  and  no  longer  hesitated  to 


(The  city  where  Just  was  born) 


Just  de  Bretenières 


45 


urge  him  to  a sanctity  satisfied  only  with  per- 
fection. 

Nor  did  Just  forget  his  parents.  Realizing 
that  God  had  required  tremendous  sacrifices  of 
them  in  taking  both  their  sons  for  His  special 
service,  he  tried  to  help  them  to  bear  their  lone- 
liness by  raising  their  hearts  ever  higher  and 
higher  until  they  would  seek  nothing  but  His 
love  and  His  grace.  Sometimes  his  exhortations 
were  playful  in  tone,  as  when  he  wrote,  “Per- 
haps, Father,  you  will  call  me  preachy,  but  I re- 
peat that  the  day  will  come  when  you  will  clap 
your  hands  over  having  made  of  your  sons,  not 
daring  cavaliers,  but — God  willing — good  fathers 
of  families.  For  we  aim,  Christian  and  I,  at 
being  nothing  less  than  fathers  of  families,  after 
a fashion  which  does  not  require  much  house- 
keeping.” 

In  his  desire  to  prepare  them  for  the  complete 
separation  to  come  he  so  arranged  his  time  that 
they  saw  him  but  seldom  and  then  only  for  a 
little  while;  and  believing  that  they  should  know 
the  dangers  awaiting  him  he  sometimes  repeated 
to  them  stories  of  the  missions  that  came  to  his 
ears  in  the  seminary.  “We  have  just  learned,” 
he  wrote  one  day,  “that  a ship  bearing  six  priests 
who  left  us  last  March  took  fire  near  Hong- 
kong and  was  entirely  destroyed.  They  say  that 
every  one  was  saved,  but  we  are  not  yet  certain 
of  this.”  In  another  letter  he  was  able  to  tell 
more:  “I  am  going  to  give  you  the  details — 
some  of  them  funny,  some  tragic — of  the  wreck 


46 


For  The  Faith 


of  our  priests.  On  the  evening  of  July  twenty- 
fourth  they  were  preparing  for  bed  when  the  cry 
of  fire  sounded  on  all  sides.  They,  ran  to  the 
deck  and  found  that  in  a few  minutes  the  fire 
had  made  such  headway  that  the  captain — an 
Englishman — had  lost  all  presence  of  mind.  Ke 
and  all  on  board  knew  that  there  were  two  hun- 
dred barrels  of  powder  in  the  hold.  Our  priests 
gave  one  another  absolution.  In  the  confusion 
two  of  the  life  boats  were  badly  damaged.  Only 
two  remained,  and  our  six  missloners  crowded 
Into  the  sam.e  one,  wTich  carried  twenty  men  and 
had  room  for  only  ten.  Tt  was  Impossible  to 
take  with  them  more  than  a little  water,  some 
bacon,  some  crackers,  and  some  live  ducks.  Af- 
ter a few  minutes  the  ship  blew  up  making  a 
wonderful  display  of  fireworks.  Remember,  all 
this  was  In  the  middle  of  the  night,  a stormy 
night,  with  lightning,  thunder,  and  high  waves 
for  setting. 

“By  morning  the  two  boats  had  drifted  apart 
but  were  headed  In  the  same  direction  and  about 
two  hundred  and  fifty  leagues  from  shore.  For 
six  days,  during  which  the  heat  Increased  hour 
by  hour,  all  hands  rowed,  the  missoners  like  the 
others,  on  rations  of  half  a glass  of  water,  a 
little  bacon  or  duck,  and  a few  crackers  each 
day.  After  the  sixth  day  all  except  the  misslon- 
ers lost  hope  and  would  row  no  more.  The  boat 
was  pursued  by  pirates  and  escaped  only  because 
richer  prey  came  In  sight.  At  last  the  party 
reached  Macao,  worn  out  with  fatigue  and  hun- 


Just  de  Bretenières 


47 


ger,  especially  the  priests  who  during  the  last 
two  days  had  been  obliged  to  do  all  the  work. 
It  seems  that  their  landing  was  really  funny: 
twenty  living  skeletons,  but  half  clothed,  whom 
the  people  flocked  to  see,  curious  to  learn  who 
they  were  and  from  v/hat  strange  country  they 
had  come. 

“The  governor  of  Macao  received  the  mis- 
sioners  kindly,  provided  them  with  clothes  and 
lodging,  and  two  days  later  sent  them  to  Hong- 
kong v/here  the  procurator  of  the  mission  re- 
ceived them  with  open  arms.  Not  one  of  the 
band  was  ill,  so  all  prepared  to  go  at  once  to 
the  various  posts  assigned  them.  Everything 
they  had  brought  from  Europe  had  been  lost, 
but  they  were  delighted  to  find  themselves  as 
poor  as  the  Divine  Master  who  had  not  a stone 
on  which  to  rest  Elis  head. 

“So  you  see,  dear  Father  and  Mother,  that 
the  Blessed  Virgin  never  abandons  missioners. 
You  may  feel  very  safe  about  me  who  longs  to 
be  one,  since  you  have  placed  me  in  her  hands. 
Don’t  be  afraid;  nothing  can  happen  to  me  ex- 
cept by  God’s  permission.” 

Nor  was  this  the  only  letter  in  which  Just 
gave  his  parents  a glimpse  of  the  dangers  which 
might  fall  to  his  lot.  Later  he  wrote,  “The 
mandarin  who  put  Father  Néel  to  death  has  been 
promoted.  It  looks  as  if  God  wishes  to  chastise 
the  province  in  which  our  brother  was  martyred 
for  it  is  in  the  clutches  of  a famine  so  terrible 
that  the  people  are  killing  and  eating  little  chil- 


48 


For  The  Faith 


dren  and  those  too  weak  to  defend  themselves, 
and  a typhoon  made  horrible  havoc  in  Canton. 
From  beneath  the  debris  they  had  recovered  fif- 
teen thousand  bodies  when  our  letters  were  writ- 
ten, and  it  was  estimated  that  its  toll  was  at  least 
forty  thousand  victims  in  that  one  city  ! But  not 
a Christian  perished.  In  Cochin-China,  affairs 
are  going  badly  for  the  missions,  and  again 
priests  are  being  hunted.  Thibet,  too,  is  mis- 
treating them.  In  short  God  still  has  good  things 
in  store  for  those  whom  He  calls  to  the  for- 
eign apostolate. 

“Yesterday  we  had  a letter  from  Tongking,  the 
first  for  more  than  a year.  Two  of  our  mission- 
ers  had  been  arrested  and  put  through  three 
inquiries  during  which  they  not  only  received 
strokes  of  the  bastinado  but  were  tortured  in 
other  ways.  Thirty  times  red  hot  pincers  were 
applied  to  their  bodies;  fifteen  times  cold  ones 
which  they  say  cause  more  intense  pain.  We 
think  that  by  this  time  they  must  be  in  heaven. 
Since  1858  Tongking  has  martyred  fifty  native 
priests,  one  of  whom  during  his  trial  was  tor- 
tured so  cruelly  on  a kind  of  rack  that  his  arms 
were  almost  torn  from  his  sides,  and  another 
received  seventeen  strokes  of  the  executioner’s 
axe  before  his  head  was  severed  from  his  body. 
Bishop  Jeanet  narrowly  escaped  arrest.  He  was 
hidden  not  more  than  two  feet  from  a place 
which  was  searched.  All  this  news,  so  sad  in 
one  sense,  is  consoling  in  another.  It  shows 


Just  de  Bretenières 


49 


how  deeply  our  holy  Faith  is  rooted  in  these 
countries.” 

By  his  fellow  students  Just  was  revered  as  a 
saint.  “When  I wished  to  excite  my  devotion 
during  the  recitation  of  office  I used  to  look 
at  Just  de  Bretenières,”  one  said;  and  another, 
“Each  verse  of  the  psalms  seemed  a prayer 
of  love  on  his  lips;”  and  a third  told  in  later 
years,  “There  was  not  one  among  us  who 
did  not  look  upon  him  as  a saint.  As  for  me, 
when  I heard  that  nine  missionaries  had  been 
martyred,  without  knowing  their  names  I said, 
‘It  is  impossible  that  Father  de  Bretenières  was 
not  of  the  number.’  ” 

Just’s  relations  with  his  companions  were  very 
intimate.  Instinctively  they  went  to  him  with  their 
troubles  and  perplexities,  and  he  was  able  to  cheer 
and  to  encourage  them.  The  following  letter, 
written  to  Mme.  de  Bretenières  shortly  after  her 
son’s  martyrdom,  gives  an  idea  of  the  extent  of 
his  influence  over  many:  “It  is  to  Just,  after  God, 
that  I owe  the  happiness  of  having  persevered  in 
my  vocation.  My  first  day  in  the  seminary  passed 
pleasantly  in  meeting  my  new  superiors  and  com- 
panions, but  the  following  morning  my  heart  was 
almost  broken  at  the  thought  of  having  left  my 
relatives  and  friends  and  above  all  my  mother 
who  had  been  paralyzed  for  six  years.  Finding 
m.yself  alone  I went  to  the  woods  where  your  son 
soon  joined  me.  He  questioned  me  kindly,  and 
listened  to  all  I had  to  say;  then  by  tender,  en- 
couraging words  brought  peace  to  my  soul.  Later 


50 


For  The  Faith 


my  trouble  returned  and  with  it  temptations  that 
gave  me  no  rest,  until  weary  and  disgusted,  I 
thought  more  than  once  of  leaving  the  seminary. 
I spoke  to  Father  B — and  it  was  he  who  ar- 
ranged that  I should  be  placed  in  close  relations 
with  your  son.  After  that  when  the  thought  of 
home,  family,  and  friends,  or  the  temptations  of 
the  devil  threatened  to  get  the  upper  hand  I 
went  to  his  room.  Whatever  the  hour  and  how- 
ever busy  he  might  be,  Just  was  always  ready  to 
receive  me,  always  cheerful,  gentle,  kind,  and 
helpful.  One  day,  for  instance,  he  made  me  sit 
beside  him  on  his  bed,  and  said,  ‘You  poor  little 
fool,  do  you  really  want  to  go  away?  Would 
you  leave  the  services  of  so  good  a God?’  And 
he  spoke  so  feelingly  of  the  joy  of  working  for 
our  loving  Master,  of  the  Missions,  and  of 
heaven  that  I was  strengthened  and  encouraged. 
Nor  did  Just  forget  me  after  he  left  us.  He 
not  only  prayed  for  me,  but  letters  from  him 
came  from  the  Orient  to  Anjou  where  I had 
been  obliged  to  go  to  recover  from  an  illness.  I 
treasure  two  in  which  it  makes  me  happy  to  see 
myself  called,  ‘Dear  little  Louis,’  and  ‘My  very 
dear  little  Louis.’  One  was  written  in  Man- 
churia, the  other  in  Korea.  He  had  heard  of 
my  ill-health  and  after  some  words  of  encour- 
agement and  sympathy  and  the  promise  of  his 
prayers,  he  said,  ‘And  pray  much  for  the  poor 
sinner  who  is  writing  to  you,  whose  heart  is 
very  cold,  and  who  does  so  little  to  make  Our 
Lord  forget  all  his  ingratitude.’  A few  words 


Just  de  Bretenières 


51 


in  the  second  letter  give  a glimpse  of  his  love  of 
mortification:  ‘Be  very  careful  of  yourself.  Good 
health  is  necessary  to  a missioner.  Mortifica- 
tions come  from  every  side  without  giving  one 
the  trouble  to  look  for  them.  So,  you  see,  life  on 
the  missions  is  very  beautiful.  Good-bye;  write 
to  me  every  year,  and  may  Our  Lord  live  in  our 
hearts  I’  ” 

Near  the  country  house  at  Meudon  there  are 
quarries  from  which  quantities  of  stone  are  sent 
to  Paris  and  its  suburbs.  The  men  who  worked 
them  in  Just’s  time  were  irreligious,  not  through 
malice  but  through  ignorance,  and  the  directors 
of  the  seminary,  yearning  over  their  poor  souls, 
permitted  some  of  the  students  to  work  among 
them  on  holidays  and  during  their  summer  vaca- 
tions. Just  soon  became  a leader  in  this  aposto- 
late  and  loved  it  intensely.  He  deemed  his  part 
in  it  the  greatest  grace  that  God  had  ever  given 
him,  apart,  of  course,  from  his  vocation.  He  and 
his  associates  would  make  friends  with  the  work- 
men by  showing  an  interest  in  their  work,  offering 
to  help  with  it,  and  talking  affably  to  them.  Stiff 
and  unfriendly  at  first,  the  men’s  confidence  was 
quickly  won.  One  and  all  they  liked  Just.  It 
did  not  take  them  long  to  discover  that  the  tall 
seminarian  with  the  distinguished  air  was  easy 
to  talk  to,  often  had  sweetmeats  for  their 
children  hidden  in  his  pockets,  and  was  inter- 
ested in  all  their  • affairs  — in  their  hardships, 
their  ailments,  above  all  in  their  families.  Many 
times  Just  went  to  the  quarries  burdened  with 


52 


For  The  Faith 


bundles  of  clothing  for  the  children  of  some  un- 
fortunate laborer,  and  more  than  once  when  a 
workman  died  he  found  a home  for  his  orphaned 
little  ones.  One  or  two  incidents  which  proved 
to  the  men  that  he  was  afraid  of  nothing  raised 
him  immeasurably  in  their  regard.  Their  affec- 
tion and  respect  won,  it  was  easy  for  Just  to 
speak  to  them  of  God  and  His  Mother,  of  the 
Church  and  the  Sacraments,  and  he  did  untold 
good  among  them. 

In  a letter  to  his  parents  he  explained  his  man- 
ner of  approaching  the  men  and  his  attitude  to- 
- ward  them:  “First  of  all  I persuade  myself — 
and  it  is  easily  done — that  those  poor  fellows 
are  better  than  I.  They  are  men  like  ourselves, 
children  of  God  like  ourselves,  and  we  should 
speak  and  act  as  if  they  were  our  equals  in  every 
way.  I am  trying  to  win  souls  dwelling  in  bodies 
broken  by  hard  work,  and  weary,  weary;  and  I 
throw  aside  my  hat,  roll  up  my  sleeves,  slip  off  my 
cassock,  and  seizing  a pick-axe  or  a crow-bar  make 
an  effort  to  help.  Sometimes  I even  suggest  bet- 
ter ways  of  doing  the  work.  When  I have  con- 
vinced one  of  the  poor  fellows  that,  in  spite  of 
my  cassock,  I am  a man  like  himself,  little  by 
little  I am  able  to  speak  to  him  of  God,  of  the 
Sacraments,  and  of  his  own  soul.  If  I were  at 
Bretenières  I should  do  the  same  for  the  work- 
ing men  there,  always  beginning  with  the  con- 
viction that  I am  no  better  than  those  whom  I 
long  to  help.  Perhaps,  in  God’s  sight,  they  are 
better  than  I.  I should  talk  to  them  frankly  and 


Just  de  Bretenières 


53 


very  simply,  without  being  afraid  of  letting  them 
see  the  interest  such  splendid  fellows  arouse  in 
me  and  the  tender  charity  I feel  toward  them.” 

One  winter  night  it  was  past  ten  o’clock  be- 
fore Just  and  his  companion  returned  from  the 
quarries  to  the  seminary.  While  talking  to  the 
quarrymen  they  had  missed  from  their  number 
an  old  man,  always  faithful  to  his  work,  and  on 
inquiring  had  been  told  that  he  was  ill  and  had 
crept  away  to  lie  down  within  one  of  the  caves 
in  the  rocks.  Just  and  his  companion  feared  that 
the  exposure  would  cause  the  old  man’s  death, 
and  they  undertook  to  find  him.  The  approaching 
darkness  and  the  immensity  of  the  quarries  made 
their  task  difficult.  They  had  seached  for  a long 
time  when,  on  reaching  an  abandoned  quarry, 
some  one  called  threateningly  to  them.  It  was 
the  old  man  whom  they  were  seeking.  Believing 
that  they  were  robbers  he  was  trying  to  frighten 
them  av/ay.  Just  and  his  fellow  student  had  taken 
him  on  their  shoulders  to  a nearby  hospital,  only 
to  be  told  that  there  was  not  a vacant  bed  in 
the  house.  From  door  to  door  they  had  then  car- 
ried the  sufferer,  begging  shelter  for  him,  and  at 
last  had  found  an  innkeeper  who  was  willing  to 
give  their  protégé  a room  for  ten  cents:  all  the 
money  they  had. 

Just  sacrificed  everything — time,  rest,  recre- 
ation— to  his  work  among  the  quarrymen.  Some- 
times even  his  brother  suffered  through  his  zeal 
for  it.  “I  well  remember,”  Christian  told  long 
afterward,  “that  shortly  after  the  beginning  of 


54 


For  The  Faith 


my  first  year  at  the  seminary  I obtained  permis- 
sion to  pass  part  of  one  of  our  holidays  at 
Meudon.  I had  been  with  Just  only  a few  min- 
utes when  he  said  that  he  was  obliged  to  go 
away  for  some  hours,  but  would  introduce  me 
to  several  other  students  whom,  he  assured  me, 
I should  find  both  agreeable  and  edifying.  It 
is  true  that  his  friends  were  admirably  zealous 
and  devoted;  nevertheless,  I should  have  pre- 
ferred my  dear  Just.  It  was  nearly  evening  and 
time  for  me  to  go  back  to  Issy  before  he  re- 
turned. He  had  had  work  to  do  at  the  quarries  : 
so  did  he  understand  charity!  During  that  year, 
although  he  passed  the  door  of  our  seminary  on 
every  holiday,  he  came  to  see  me  only  four  or 
five  times,  and  when  I complained  of  the  rarity 
of  his  visits  said,  ‘My  writing  to  you  and  seeing 
you  are  two  points  upon  which  your  ideas  will 
change.  We  have  found  Jesus;  what  more  do 
we  desire?’  ” 

But  the  quarrymen  were  not  Just’s  only  pro- 
tégés. He  was  kind  to  the  old  men  under  the 
care  of  the  Little  Sisters  of  the  Poor,  visiting 
them  frequently,  instructing  them,  waiting  on 
them  at  table.  The  men  became  very  much  at- 
tached to  him  and  it  was  a sorrow  to  them 
when  he  said  good-bye  for  the  last  time.  Indeed, 
to  be  poor  was  to  have  the  key  of  Just’s  heart. 
His  parents  were  often  reminded  of  this — per- 
haps more  often  than  they  relished.  His  letters 
to  them  are  full  of  appeals  for  his  protégés,  each 
one  more  deserving  and  more  destitute  than  the 


Just  de  Bretenières 


SS 


last.  “Dear  Mother,”  he  wrote  one  day,  “do 
not  be  surprised  so  soon  to  receive  another  letter 
from  me.  I have  something  important  on  my 
mind  to-day.  I am  going  to  give  you  a chance 
to  place  ten  dollars  at  interest  in  the  bank  of 
our  Heavenly  Father.  I would  attend  to  the 
matter  without  troubling  you,  but  I lack  one 
thing:  the  ten  dollars.  Perhaps  you  will  supply 
them.  And  it  might  be  well  to  give  four  dollars 
more,  that  my  poor  people  may  have  something 
to  spend  for  pleasure,  as  well  as  for  necessities. 
I trust  you  to  plead  this  cause  well  with  Father. 
Many,  many  thanks  ! Always  count  on  the  bound- 
less love  of  your  son.  Just.” 

- On  another  occasion  he  wrote  to  tell  his  pa- 
rents that  four  years  before  one  of  his  fellow 
Students  had  burdened  himself  with  the  tuition 
fees  of  a promising  boy  at  St.  Sulpice.  He  had 
been  a little  rash,  perhaps,  having  neither  means, 
nor  relatives  to  whom  he  could  appeal.  Just 
ended  his  explanation  by  saying,  “Scold  me  if 
you  like  — but  give!”  Again  he  begged,  not 
money,  but  a good,  serviceable  dress  for  a coun- 
trywoman of  medium  height,  and  two  blouses 
for  her  ten  and  twelve  year  old  sons.  “Don’t 
be  afraid  to  supply  the  things.  Mother;  they 
are  really  needed,”  he  said.  And  his  mother 
sent  the  clothing,  as  she  sent  whatever  he  asked, 
never  complaining  of  the  generosity  of  her  pen- 
niless son. 

At  Christmas-time,  In  1862,  Just  received 
Minor  Orders.  Day  by  day  his  fervor  was 


56 


For  The  Faith 


deepening  and  his  character  maturing.  He  was 
no  longer  timid  and  uncertain  of  his  way.  He 
saw  it  clearly  and  walked  in  it  steadfastly.  Let- 
ters written  at  this  time  to  a friend,  already  a 
missionary  in  Siam,  give  glimpses  of  his  beauti- 
ful soul.  In  one  of  them  he  says  ecstatically, 
“Each  time  that  you  speak  to  me  of  loving  Jesus 
my  heart  is  deeply  moved  and  my  desire  to  love 
Him  grows  stronger.  But  how  fruitless  my  de- 
sires are!  I see  that  there  is  one  thing  which  I 
must  ask  for  you  and  for  myself:  love.  In  a 
little  more  than  a year  I shall  be  a priest.  It 
seems  impossible  that  God  will  raise  me  so  high, 
I who  am  so  contemptible  I I am  appalled  at 
the  thought,  and  tremble  before  the  responsi- 
bilities I shall  assume.”  A year  earlier  it  had 
been  the  thought  of  separation  from  those  whom 
he  loved  that  pained  him.  Now,  he  scarcely 
heeds  this,  so  overwhelmed  is  he  at  the  near- 
ness of  the  priesthood  of  which  he  feels  himself 
to  be  utterly  unworthy.  Shortly  before  his  ordi- 
nation, which  was  to  be  followed  almost  imme- 
diately by  departure  for  the  mission  to  which 
he  was  assigned.  Father  d’Hulst  asked  Just,  “Of 
which  do  you  think  most,  ordination  or  leaving 
home?”  “What  a foolish  question!”  Just  laugh- 
ingly replied.  “I  think  only  of  the  priesthood. 
To  think  that  I — I shall  say  Mass!” 

In  the  spring  of  1863  he  was  ordained  sub- 
deacon, and  joy  overflowed  his  soul.  He  had 
obtained  permission  to  pass  the  preceding  night 
in  the  chapel  : a never-to-be-forgotten  night. 


Just  de  Bretenières 


57 


From  that  hour  until  he  was  raised  to  the  priest- 
hood he  tried  to  live  in  entire  recollection,  writ- 
ing few  letters,  talking  little,  and  passing  hour 
after  hour  before  the  Blessed  Sacrament.  “I  am 
alone,  all  alone  with  Jesus  in  my  little  cell.  I 
see  no  one.  I am  very  happy,”  he  wrote  to  a 
friend,  in  one  of  the  rare  letters  of  those  days. 

A trial  was  reserved  to  him  before  he  was  to 
taste  the  joys  of  the  priesthood.  His  old  par- 
ents, who  had  so  bravely  given  both  their  sons 
to  God’s  special  service,  lost  courage  as  the  day 
of  Just’s  departure  drew  near.  They  suffered 
intense  agony;  they  felt  that  they  could  not  see 
him  go.  They  believed  that  he  had  mistaken 
his  vocation,  and  foresaw  a thousand  dangers 
even  for  his  soul.  They  pleaded  with  him  and 
wept  over  him,  almost  breaking  his  loving  heart. 

The  last  time  that  he  saw  Christian  before  his 
ordination  they  went  together  to  Just’s  favorite 
retreat  in  the  woods  at  Meudon.  “I  could  never 
give  an  idea  of  his  conversation  that  day,”  Chris- 
tian told  years  afterward.  “It  was  full  of  per- 
fect peace,  and  at  the  same  time  of  a force  and 
energy  that  I shall  never  forget.  Just’s  soul 
was  open  before  me.  He  did  not  know  how  to 
express  his  happiness.  It  was  the  last  intimate 
talk  I ever  had  with  my  brother.  After  he  had 
given  me  excellent  advice  about  my  own  minis- 
try we  knelt  beside  the  tree  and  prayed  together 
for  the  missions,  particularly  the  one  to  which 
his  superiors  would  assign  him.” 


58 


For  The  Faith 


CHAPTER  V. 

Ordination  and  Last  Good-byes. 

On  the  twenty-first  of  May,  1864,  Just  was 
ordained  priest  by  Bishop  Thomines-Desma- 
zures,  vicar-apostolic  of  Thibet.  After  the  cere- 
mony M.  and  Mme.  de  Breteniéres  slipped 
away,  sacrificing  their  desire  to  kiss  the  loved 
hands  freshly  hallowed  by  the  holy  oils,  that 
nothing  might  distract  their  san  in  the  ineffable 
joy  of  his  thanksgiving.  Just’s  first  Mass  was 
said  in  a private  chapel  of  the  seminary.  Chris- 
tain  and  the  Abbé  Gautrelet  served,  and  Father 
Campian,  who  for  years  had  been  pastor  at 
Breteniéres,  assisted  him  at  the  altar.  His  par- 
ents and  a few  intimate  friends  were  present. 
When  all  was  over  Christian  interrupted  Just’s 
ecstatic  thanksgiving  by  touching  him  gently  on 
the  shoulder  and  reminding  him  that  their  rela- 
tives and  friends  were  awaiting  his  blessing.  He 
arose  instantly  and  going  to  the  altar-rail  blessed 
first  his  father  and  his  mother,  then  all  who  were 
present — and  at  once  returned  to  his  unfinished 
prayers.  “I  have  just  heard  Mass  in  heaven  1” 
some  one  exclaimed  as  he  left  the  chapel. 

Before  that  day  Just  had  hardly  dared  to  ask 
of  God  the  grace  he  desired  above  all  others. 
“I  am  not  the  stuff  of  which  martyrs  are  made,” 


1 


AT  THE  PARIS  FOREIGN  MISSION  SEMINARY 
128  Rue  du  Bac 

1.  Just’s  Favorite  Walk 

2.  Preparing  for  the  Corpus  Christi  Procession 

3.  A Bell  from  the  East,  used  at  the  Ceremony  of  Departure 


Just  de  Bretenières 


59 


he  had  often  said,  “only  innocent  victims  are 
worthy  to  follow  in  the  footsteps  of  the  Lamb.” 
But  the  hope  born  in  his  heart  when  he  was  but 
a boy  would  not  die.  Two  years  before  his  ordi- 
nation, in  a letter  which  told  of  the  death  of  a 
missionary,  killed  out  of  hatred  for  the  Faith, 
he  had  exclaimed  exultingly,  “So  martyrdom  is 
still  possible  !”  A priest,  his  timidity  vanished. 
He  no  longer  feared  to  hope  that  he  might  shed 
his  blood  for  Christ.  To  die  a martyr  became, 
not  only  the  goal  of  his  desires,  but  a constant 
plea  in  his  prayers,  a hope  so  sweet  that  it  filled 
his  soul  with  joy  too  deep  for  words. 

When,  after  the  Consecration  of  his  first  Mass, 
he  said  the  words,  “And  to  us  sinners,  also.  Thy 
servants,  who  trust  in  the  multitude  of  Thy  mer- 
cies, vouchsafe  to  grant  some  part  and  fellowship 
with  Thy  holy  Apostles  and  Martyrs,  . . . not 
weighing  our  merits  but  pardoning  our  offenses,” 
the  familiar  words  impressed  him  as  they  had 
never  done  before.  He  found  in  them  a meaning 
inexpressibly  dear  to  his  heart.  Writing  to  Father 
Dubernard,  a missionary  in  Thibet,  he  said,  “Beg 
of  God  the  grace  of  martyrdom  for  me.  It  is 
His  will  that  we  should  implore  this  great  gift. 
Do  we  not  ask  it  daily  after  the  Memento  for 
the  Dead?” 

While  awaiting  instructions  as  to  his  destina- 
tion Just  was  absorbed  by  the  joys  of  his  priestly 
life.  He  lived  very  much  alone,  prolonging  his 
thanksgiving  after  Mass  far  into  the  day  and 
ending  it  only  to  begin  to  prepare  for  the  next 


60 


For  The  Faith 


day’s  Paradise.  Sometimes  his  old  father  served 
him,  with  a pride  no  words  can  tell. 

On  the  thirteenth  of  June,  at  the  close  of  a 
little  talk,  his  superior  said  to  him,  laughingly, 
“By  the  way,  shall  I tell  you  where  you  are  to 
go?  What  mission  do  you  prefer?”  “I  do  not 
prefer  any,”  Just  replied.  “If  I send  you  to 
Thibet  will  you  be  satisfied?”  Father  Albrand 
asked.  “Perfectly,”  was  Just’s  answer.  “You 
are  to  go  to  Tongking!”  “That  will  do  just  as 
well,”  Just  replied  laughingly.  “No,  you  are  to 
go  to  Cochin-China,”  Father  Albrand  said  next. 
“Just  as  you  say,”  Just  agreed.  “You  really  do 
not  care?”  “Not  at  all.  Father.”  Then,  in  a 
changed  tone.  Father  Albrand  said,  “Let  us  talk 
seriously.”  Instantly  Just  threw  himself  on  his 
knees  to  receive  his  destination  prayerfully,  as 
from  the  hand  of  God  Himself.  “Oh,  if  you  are 
in  earnest,  that  is  another  matter!”  he  exclaimed. 
“You  are  to  go  to  Korea,”  Father  Albrand  told 
him.  “If  you  had  bade  me  choose  I should  have 
said  Korea,”  Just  answered  calmly;  and  without 
another  word  he  slipped  away. 

To  the  Abbé  Gautrelet  he  wrote,  “One  little 
word  to  tell  you  where  I am  to  go,  for  you,  as 
well  as  Father  and  Mother,  have  a right  to  know 
at  once.  My  dear  new  country  is  to  be  Korea. 
Our  Lord  is  giving  me  the  best  He  has.  Just 
now  it  is  our  most  beautiful  mission,  the  one  in 
which  it  is  easiest  to  spend  oneself  to  the  last 
breath  in  the  service  of  the  Master.  Hurrah  for 
Korea,  land  of  martyrs!  It  is  true  that  at  the 


Just  de  Bretenières 


61 


moment  there  is  not  open  persecution,  but  sweat 
is  replacing  blood.  There  is  a tremendous  amount 
of  work  to  be  done.  We  shall  probably  leave 
here  on  the  fifteenth  of  next  month.  The  date  of 
our  arrival  is  less  certain.  It  can  vary  as  much 
as  five  months,  so  many  mishaps  are  possible, 
and  so  many  risks  will  have  to  be  run.^  But  the 
prospect  does  not  frighten  me.  Provided  we  are 
where  God  wishes  nothing  else  matters  much. 
Pray  often  for  your  Korean  who  will  try  to  re- 
pay you  by  mementos  in  his  Masses. 

“Good-bye,  dear  old  teacher!  In  Korea,  as 
in  France,  I shall  always  love  you  and  never 
forget  our  eight  years  together  at  Dijon  and 
Bretenières. 

“God  be  with  you! 

“JUST.^^ 


Ï Determinofl  to  i)resorvo  the  Integrity  of  their  territory,  which 
both  China  and  Japan  coveted,  the  rulers  of  Korea  had  forbidden 
any  stranger  to  enter  the  country  under  pain  of  death,  and  the 
same  penalty  was  paid  by  any  of  their  subjects  who  tried  to  leave 
it.  The  frontiers  were  closely  guarded  by  a series  of  military 
posts,  in  the  more  important  of  which  there  lived,  as  inspectors 
and  custom-house  officers,  police  agents  chosen  for  their  clever- 
ness and  long  experience.  Fierce  dogs  helped  them  to  keep  watch 
night  and  day,  so  it  was  almost  impossible  for  any  one  to  cross 
the  frontier  unseen. 

By  land  there  were  but  two  roads,  one  from  Tartary,  the  other 
from  China.  On  another  side  the  country  was  protected  by  moun- 
tainous deserts  and  impenetrable  forests.  The  only  way  to  enter 
from  this  direction  was  to  steal  between  two  forts  under  cover 
of  darkness,  and  by  scaling  the  snow-covered  mountains  reach 
the  interior.  It  w^as  thus  that  the  first  missioners  penetrated 
the  country,  but  in  times  of  persecution  all  the  ruses  of  the  Chris- 
tians had  been  discovered,  and  were  known,  not  only  to  the  man- 
darins, but  to  custom-house  officers,  to  shepherds,  and  to  farmers— 
in  short,  to  all  the  native  pagans.  Entrance  by  land  was  henceforth 
impossible.  Just  and  his  companions  were  to  attempt  to  find  some 
quiet  spot  on  the  coast  where  they  might  disembark  unobserved: 
a project  beset  with  difficulties  and  dangers. 


62 


For  The  Faith 


As  soon  as  he  knew  his  destination  Just  read 
everything  he  could  find  about  Korea/  its  his- 
tory and  its  people.  Fathers  Beaulieu,  Dorie, 
and  Huin  were  named  as  his  companions  and  the 
four  exulted  together  over  their  happiness,  hop- 
ing for  the  gifts  which  God  held  in  store  for 
them:  four  bloody  deaths,  four  martyrs’  crowns. 
They  were  together  constantly,  talking  in  an 
earnest  way  or  praying  side  by  side  in  the  chapel. 
Before  Father  Dorie  was  told  definitely  as  to 
his  new  country  he  ran  through  the  corridors  of 
the  seminary,  rapping  on  each  door  and  announc- 
ing to  his  friends  that  he  was  to  go  soon.  “But 
where?”  one  asked.  “I  don’t  know  yet,  but  I 
am  to  be  with  Just.  That’s  enough  for  me,”  he 
replied. 

Poor  M.  and  Mme.  de  Bretenières  were  heart- 
broken when  they  learned  that  their  son  was  to 
go  so  far  and  to  so  perilous  a mission.  Just  tried 
to  soften  their  grief  by  being  with  them  as  much 
as  possible.  In  a hundred  little  w’ays  he  dis- 
tracted and  amused  them,  and  did  his  best  to  in- 
terest them  in  all  the  preparations  for  the  long 
voyage.  He  begged  his  mother  to  treat  his  com- 
panions like  children  of  her  own,  and  to  provide 
them  as  well  as  him  with  whatever  was  needed: 
which  was  little  enough,  for  all  were  determined 
to  accept  as  few  things  as  possible  and  only  what 
might  belong  to  all  in  common.  One  day,  how- 
ever, Mme.  de  Bretenières  was  delighted  because 
she  had  persuaded  Just  to  accept  a relic  of  the 


^See  Appendix. 


Just  de  Bretenières 


63 


true  Cross  as  a parting  gift  from  her.  He  had 
the  precious  relic  put  into  a new  reliquary  and 
seemed  to  be  very  happy  over  the  possession  of 
his  treasure.  When  Mme.  de  Bretenières  told 
Christian  of  the  matter  he  laughed  a little.  “If 
I know  Just,  you  will  have  your  relic  back  before 
long.  You  have  tempted  him;  that  is  all.”  Half 
an  hour  later  Mme.  de  Bretenières  went  to  the 
Foreign  Mission  Seminary  to  see  Just.  He  came 
hurriedly  to  the  parlor,  with  the  reliquary  in  his 
hand.  “Take  back  your  relic.  Mother,”  he  said; 
“I  want  to  have  nothing  of  my  own.  Do  give  it 
to  Christian.” 

Just  agreed  to  meet  his  brother  on  a certain 
day  at  the  church  of  Our  Lady  of  Victory.  After 
Mass  they  renewed  the  consecration  of  their  lives 
to  our  Blessed  Mother,  and  once  more  M.  and 
Mme.  de  Bretenières  heroically  offered  their  ’ 
children  to  God.  The  remainder  of  that  day  Just 
and  Christian  spent  with  their  parents.  It  was 
the  last  time  that  the  family  was  ever  united  on 
earth.  In  an  effort — a mistaken  effort,  perhaps — 
to  make  the  hours  pass  as  easily  as  possible  Just 
showed  no  sign  of  sadness  and  seemed  not  to 
see  the  grief  of  his  parents.  He  talked  of  indif- 
ferent matters,  and  was  perfectly  calm,  even 
merry.  M.  de  Bretenières,  misunderstanding  his 
son,  was  deeply  hurt  and  bitterly  reproached 
him.  Afterward,  when  he  had  the  key  to  Just’s 
stratagem,  he  could  not  forgive  himself. 

In  some  notes  which  he  wrote  about  Just,  he 
said,  “The  three  years  of  my  son’s  stay  at  the 


64 


For  The  Faith 


seminary  were  almost  over.  During  all  that  time 
he  had  seldom  come  to  see  us.  He  had  tried  to 
prepare  us  for  complete  separation  from  him. 
His  own  sacrifice  was  made;  he  wished  us  to 
share  it.  From  the  beginning  of  his  life  at  Rue 
du  Bac  he  made  an  effort  to  lessen  the  number  of 
our  visits  to  him.  He  came  slowly  and  reluctantly 
when  called  to  the  parlor.  Often  his  mother  saw 
him  for  a few  minutes  only,  and  once  she  came 
home  in  tears,  not  having  seen  him  at  all.  I 
spoke  severely  to  Just,  reminding  him  of  the 
fourth  commandment.  He  heard  me  with  the 
deference  and  sweetness  and  calmness  habitual 
to  him,  which,  alas!  we  were  more  than  once 
tempted  to  attribute  to  a lack  of  feeling.  I knov/ 
now  that  I tortured  our  dear  child.  Later  we 
learned  from  letters  written  at  this  time  to  his 
intimate  friends  that  his  heart  was  bleeding  with 
sympathy  for  ‘the  grief  of  his  poor  father.’ 
Those  letters,  with  all  their  proofs  of  the  ten- 
derness of  his  filial  love — which  I never  really 
doubted — will  give  me  cause  for  tears  to  the 
day  of  my  death. 

“We  went  to  Paris  in  July.  Just  was  to  have  a 
free  day.  He  arranged  to  devote  a little  of  it  to 
some  work  of  charity  and  to  give  us  the  remain- 
der. All  day  he  was  perfectly  self-possessed. 
Evening  came  at  last.  Sitting  beside  his  brother 
on  the  balcony  of  our  apartment,  which  com- 
manded a view  of  a great  part  of  the  city,  he 
watched  the  sunset,  knowing  that  it  marked  the 
close  of  the  last  day  we  should  spend  together 


Just  de  Bretenîères 


65 


in  this  world.  And  as  he  watched  it  he  laughed, 
and  chatted-  gaily,  and  played  little  tricks  on 
Christian.  No  doubt  he  saw  our  frowns — and  he 
was  but  trying  to  make  things  easier  for  us  ! The 
moment  came  for  him  to  leave,  that  moment 
which  we  had  dreaded  ever  since  the  sad  even- 
ing when  he  spoke  to  us  for  the  first  time  of  his 
desire  to  enter  the  Foreign  Mission  Seminary. 
Never  since  that  evening  had  I seen  him  leave 
our  apartment  without  thinking  sadly,  ‘The  day 
is  coming  when  I shall  see  him  go  for  the  last 
time.’  That  day  had  come.  I listened  to  the 
sound  of  his  step  on  the  stairs.  I followed  him 
with  my  eyes  as  far  as  I could,  when  he  passed 
down  the  street.  It  was  the  last  time.” 

Not  having  an  opportunity  to  see  the  Abbé 
Gautrelet  before  leaving  France,  Just  wrote  him 
a farewell  letter,  very  simple,  very  brave,  very 
touching:  “A  last  good-bye  before  leaving  home. 
It  is  for  good  this  time  that  I say  adieu.  Adieu 
for  this  miserable  life.  We  shall  meet  again  in 
heaven. — Before  going  so  far  I wish  to  beg  your 
pardon  for  all  the  annoyance  and  weariness  I 
ever  caused  you,  and  I beg  you  to  give  me  your 
blessing.  It  will  bring  me  happiness  during  my 
journey,  and  later  in  my  mission. 

“On  the  fifteenth  of  this  month  we  shall  leave 
this  dear  seminary.  Here  I have  passed  the 
sweetest  years  of  solitude  I shall  ever  know,  but 
whatever  may  be  my  future  difficulties  they  will 
but  pave  the  way  for  an  eternity  of  joy.  I am 
sending  you  a photograph  of  Christian  and  my- 


66 


For  The  Faith 


self.  Whenever  you  see  it  pray  for  us,  and  be 
assured  that  every  time  I say  Mass  you  will  be 
remembered  at  the  Memento. 

“Once  more  good-bye,  my  dear  old  teacher. 
I embrace  you  with  all  my  heart. 

“JUST.^^ 

The  day  of  departure  dawned.  As  M.  de  Bre- 
tenières  wrote,  “We  had  been  invited  to  assist 
at  Just’s  last  Mass  in  the  chapel  of  the  Foreign 
Mission  Seminary.  His  mother  and  I received 
Holy  Communion  from  our  child’s  hand,  and 
this  Divine  Food  alone  gave  us  strength  to  bear 
the  last  good-byes.  I was  overwhelmed  with 
grief.  Still,  in  offering  my  son  to  God,  I always 
tried  to  ease  my  sorrow  a little  by  the  thought 
that  perhaps  some  day  Providence  would  send 
him  back  to  close  our  eyes. 

“After  Mass  we  went  to  the  parlor  where 
Just  soon  joined  us.  He  was  perfectly  calm  and 
made  an  effort  to  entertain  us,  as  if  we  were 
soon  to  meet  again.  Our  conversation  was  not 
long.  We  stood  all  the  time  like  travelers  who 
meet  on  their  way  and  are  soon  to  separate.  We 
mastered  our  emotion,  but  a word,  the  merest 
trifle,  would  have  opened  the  flood-gates  of  our 
tears.  We  knelt,  and  for  the  last  time  Just 
blessed  us;  then,  after  pressing  him  to  my  heart, 
I hurried  out  to  call  a carriage,  for  Christian 
was  not  well.  When  I returned  Just  was  gone. 

“Thanks  be  to  God  our  parting  was  as  the 
partings  of  Christians  should  be:  without  weak- 
ness and  without  tears  I” 


Just  de  Bretenières 


67 


To  these  notes  of  her  husband’s  Mme.  de  Bre- 
tenières added,  “A  sad,  sad  day  which  I shall 
never  forget.  That  on  which  I learned  my  child’s 
martrydom  was  less  painful  to  me,  for  then  I 
knew  that  he  was  happy  and  would  be  for  all 
eternity.” 

A friend  of  the  family  thus  described  the 
Ceremony  of  Departure:  “On  the  fifteenth  of 
July,  1864,  I went  to  the  Foreign  Mission  Semi- 
nary to  see  Father  de  Bretenières  who  had  been 
assigned  to  the  mission  of  Korea.  I went  to  his 
cell  and  found  the  bed  dismantled,  the  mattress 
rolled  in  a corner,  and  his  trunk  in  the  middle  of 
the  floor,  strapped  for  the  long  voyage.  Father 
de  Bretenières  wore  a cassock  which,  though  in 
good  condition,  was  not  new,  and  his  rabat  was 
worn.  He  was  pale,  and  seemed  to  be  deeply 
moved.  I tried  to  tell  him  what  I felt  in  seeing 
him  go.  He  clasped  my  hand  affectionately,  beg- 
ging me  to  pray  for  him  and  saying  that  he  was 
happy  over  obtaining  what  he  had  asked  of  God. 
I replied,  ‘What  weight  will  the  prayers  of  a 
sinner  like  me  have  besides  yours?  You  are 
sacrificing  birth,  talent,  fortune,  and  home,  that 
you  may  spread  Christ’s  kingdom.’  He  replied, 
‘Pray  for  me;  pray  that  I may  obtain  what  I 
desire.’ 

“A  bell  rang  summoning  us  to  the  little  ora- 
tory built  in  a corner  of  the  garden.  The  mis- 
sionaries chanted  the  Litany  of  the  Blessed  Vir- 
gin. At  the  invocation  ‘Queen  of  Martyrs’  they 
fell  on  their  knees,  and  a great  wave  of  emotion 


68 


For  The  Faith 


swept  over  all  of  us  who  were  present.  Every 
heart  was  beating  in  sympathy  with  theirs.  The 
Hymn  of  Departure,  composed  by  Gounod,  was 
sung  next.  I could  see  Father  de  Bretenières;  his 
face  was  flushed,  and  his  eyes  shone.  I heard 
his  voice  ring  out  strong  and  true.” 

Ten  newly-ordained  priests  were  leaving  that 
day.  They  went  from  the  oratory  to  the  church 
and  ranged  themselves  on  the  altar-steps,  with 
their  faces  turned  towards  their  friends,  while 
the  choir  chanted  the  verse:  “Quam  speciosi  pedes 
evangelizatium  pacem,  evangelizatium  bona!” 
M.  and  Mme.  de  Bretenières  were  kneeling  in 
a dark  corner  of  the  tribune;  Christian  was  in 
the  sanctuary.  He  wrote,  describing  the  scene, 
“They  were  truly  beautiful,  those  young  men 
who  were  leaving  all  things  to  set  forth  for  the 
conquest  of  souls;  and  if  my  love  did  not  blind 
me  Just  was  most  beautiful  of  all.  He  seemed 
to  belong  to  heaven  rather  than  to  earth.  In 
my  turn  I kissed  his  feet.  He  took  me  in  his 
arms  saying,  ‘Courage,  courage!  Never  forget 
what  I say  to  you:  May  Jesus  in  the  Blessed 
Sacrament  be  praised  forever!’” 

The  ceremony  over,  the  visitors  left  the  church. 
Just  was  surrounded  by  a number  of  priests  and 
students.  Reaching  over  their  heads  he  held  out 
his  hand  to  his  brother.  “Until  we  meet  in 
heaven!  It  Is  over  here,”  he  said. 

Meanwhile  M.  and  Mme.  de  Bretenières  stood, 
hesitating,  on  the  door-step  of  the  seminary.  A 
carriage  was  awaiting  the  travelers.  Would  they 


Just  de  Bretenières 


69 


wait  for  a last  look,  a last  word?  The  father 
thought  that  it  would  be  better  to  go.  “We  went 
home  in  silence,  absorbed  in  our  own  thoughts. 
It  was  about  six  o’clock  in  the  evening,”  the  poor 
mother  wrote  afterwards. 

As  the  party  got  into  the  carriage  a beggar 
pushed  his  way  through  the  crowd  that  sur- 
rounded them  and  Just  gave  him  five  pennies — 
all  the  money  he  had  — and  laughingly  exulted 
over  being  “really  poor  at  last.” 

So  ended  Just’s  days  of  probation.  From  the 
solitude  and  protection  of  the  seminary  he  had 
set  forth  at  last  on  the  difficult  way  that  was  to 
lead  to  a cruel  martyrdom.  A beautiful  letter, 
written  to  M.  de  Bretenières  by  his  son’s  intimate 
friend.  Father  d’Hulst,  gives  a resumé  of  the 
years  which  had  closed.  “I  saw  Just  for  the  first 
time  on  the  day  of  his  entrance  at  Issy,”  Father 
d’Hulst  began.  “His  gentle,  attractive  manner 
impressed  me  at  once.  From  the  first  I observed 
the  confidence,  I might  even  say  deference,  which 
he  showed  towards  those  younger  than  himself, 
and  I soon  understood  that  it  sprang  from  a 
degree  of  humility  that  astonished  and  deeply 
edified  me.  After  a youth  so  good  and  pious 
that  it  was  a fitting  preparation  even  for  the 
dignity  of  the  priesthood  he  was  convinced  of 
his  inferiority  in  every  virtue,  and  looked  up 
to  students  whom  he  far  surpassed.  He  quickly 
attracted  the  attention  of  the  directors  of  the 
seminary  and  of  the  students,  by  his  tender  piety, 
fidelity  to  small  duties,  great  contempt  of  self, 


70 


For  The  Faith 


and  unbounded  charity.  Just  was  persuaded  that 
up  to  that  time  he  had  done  nothing  for  God, 
and  the  farther  he  advanced  the  stronger  grew 
this  conviction. 

“His  character  then  lacked  the  firmness  and 
courage  which  it  acquired  in  time,  but  almost 
timid  though  he  seemed,  for  six  or  seven  months 
he  was  able  to  hide  from  you  the  struggle  which 
he  passed  through  before  deciding  his  vocation 
and  his  dread  of  telling  you  what  w^as  his  de- 
cision. The  first  time  that  he  spoke  to  me  of  the 
missions  I saw  that  his  heart  was  wrung  at  the 
thought  of  the  sacrifice  he  must  demand  of  you 
and  of  his  mother.  The  difficulties  of  his  voca- 
tion he  referred  to  as  ‘little  trials,’  ‘little  sacri- 
fices.’ He  could  not  imagine  himself  doing  any- 
thing heroic;  besides,  to  him,  all  that  we  weak 
men  can  do  for  Almighty  God  seems  pitiably 
small.  He  confided  to  me  that  to  carry  your 
consent  by  assault,  and  later  to  make  the  parting 
easier,  he  was  determined  to  be  calm  and  matter- 
of-fact  and  to  avoid  all  tenderness,  which  ex- 
plains the  apparent  lack  of  feeling  that  more 
than  once  cut  you  to  the  heart,  but  which  helped, 
perhaps,  to  prepare  you  for  this  day.  Only  God 
and  our  Blessed  Mother,  confidants  of  all  he 
suffered,  know  what  it  cost  him  to  be  always 
calm  and  strong.  That  he  was  bringing  you  pain 
w^as  from  first  to  last  his  own  sharpest  pain. 

“After  Just’s  entrance  into  the  Foreign  Mis- 
sion Seminary  he  had  his  hours  of  wavering  and 
of  sadness.  He  never  deliberately  spoke  to  me 


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71 


of  these,  but  a word  in  one  of  his  letters  showed 
me  that  he  sometimes  suffered  thus.  Certainly 
his  tranquillity  and  firmness  made  it  appear  that 
heroism  was  easy  to  him;  and  in  truth  his  soul 
was  so  pure  and  so  habitually  turned  towards 
God  that  it  would  never  have  occurred  to  him 
to  refuse  Him  anything.  This  spiritual  vigor 
developed  greatly  during  his  three  years  at  Rue 
du  Bac.  He  admdred  and  praised  it  in  others 
without  being  conscious  of  possessing  it  in  a 
higher  degree  than  they. 

“Convinced  of  his  frailty,  in  proportion  as  his 
strength  grew,  he  longed  for  the  help  of  others’ 
prayers,  and  frequently  asked  for  it.  One  day 
he  begged  me  to  obtain  for  him  a share  in  my 
sister’s  prayers,  and  added,  ‘Tell  her  that  this  is 
a serious  case.  It  won’t  do  for  her  to  remember 
my  needs  for  a few  days  and  then  forget  all 
about  them.  She  must  keep  on  and  on.  The  glory 
of  God  is  at  stake.’ 

“He  spoke  freely  of  the  mortifications  prac- 
ticed by  his  fellow  students,  but  always  to  say 
that  he  was  incapable  of  imitating  them;  and  all 
the  while  we,  his  friends,  were  seeing  him  pitiless 
towards  himself.  He  braved  fatigue,  cold,  and 
hunger:  the  rest  is  God’s  secret. — • 

“In  a word,  from  the  day  when  I first  met 
Just  until  I saw  him  leave  us  for  Korea  he  served 
God  ever  more  and  more  faithfully,  humbly, 
sweetly,  valiantly.  I will  close  this  letter  by  tell- 
ing you  what  he  asked  of  me  before  he  left. 


72 


For  The  Faith 


‘Pray,’  he  said,  ‘that  I may  be  martyred,  and 
that  no  one  will  ever  know  it.’  ” 

To  return  to  Just  and  his  fellow  travelers:  as 
soon  as  they  were  fairly  started  on  their  way 
they  chanted  the  Te  Deum;  then  whispered  the 
prayers  which  at  that  hour  were  being  said  by 
the  community  at  the  seminary.  Afterwards,  it 
was  agreed  that  every  one  was  free  to  sleep,  but 
all  were  too  happy  and  too  much  excited  to  rest, 
and  they  passed  the  night  in  sweet,  intimate  talk. 
The  party  reached  Boulogne  on  the  following 
day,  July  sixteenth,  at  four  o’clock  in  the  after- 
noon. Four  brothers,  named  Germain,  whose 
lives  were  devoted  to  good  works,  received  them 
with  open  arms  and  took  them  to  the  house  in 
which  they  were  to  lodge.  The  next  morning  all 
said  Mass  in  a convent  chapel,  and  in  the  after- 
noon made  an  excursion  to  a nearby  chateau. 

It  was  on  the  nineteenth  that  the  party  set 
sail.  After  saying  Mass  that  morning  in  one 
of  the  churches  of  the  city  they  grouped  them- 
selves about  the  main  altar  and  offered  to  the 
Blessed  Virgin  a medallion  on  which  were  en- 
graved their  names  and  their  destinations.  It 
was  at  three  in  the  afternoon  that  the  Said  left 
port;  by  four  o’clock  they  were  well  under  way. 

Just  had  written  to  his  parents  on  reaching 
Boulogne,  but  before  leaving  France  he  sent  a 
last  word  to  his  dearly  loved  brother:  “Walk 
without  faltering  in  the  way  of  detachment, 
which  is  what  Our  Lord  asks  of  you.  Do  not 
look  back  after  putting  your  hands  to  the  plough. 


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73 


Adieu,  dear  brother!  If  you  ever  come  to  Mar- 
seilles remember  that  the  lonely  rocks  at  the  feet 
of  Our  Lady’s  statue  offer  a splendid  place  for 
meditation.  I was  there  alone  at  sunset  last 
evening,  and  prayed  to  our  Mother  for  all  whom 
I love.” 


74 


For  The  Faith 


CHAPTER  VI. 

The  Long  Voyage. 

The  missioners  told  the  story  of  their  long 
voyage  to  the  Orient  in  happy,  playful,  often 
witty  letters,  penned  under  difficulties,  in  the 
midst  of  hardships  and  the  disappointment  of 
ever-recurring  delays.  Soon  after  sailing  from 
Marseilles  Just  wrote  to  his  family,  “Some  of 
us  have  already  learned  what  it  means  to  be 
sea-sick,  but  that  is  a small  matter.  We  were 
never  happier  than  we  have  been  since  leaving 
Paris.  Every  evening  we  sit  in  the  bow  of  the 
boat  and  sing  the  Ave  Maris  Stella  and  other 
hymns  peculiarly  suited  to  our  present  needs. 
Afterwards,  we  say  our  beads  and  our  night 
prayers  together,  and  then  talk  cosily,  usually 
about  our  good  fortune  in  being  missioners. 
Truly  ours  is  a sublime  vocation!  I cannot  tell 
you  how  happy  our  evenings  are!  ...  We  see  on 
all  sides  only  sea  and  sky,  and  know  that  every 
moment  the  hand  of  the  Lord  is  carrying  us 
nearer  and  nearei*  to  our  mission. 

“We  expect  to  reach  Alexandria  this  evening, 
spend  the  night  on  board,  and  at  eight  in  the 
morning  take  a train  for  Cairo  and  Suez.  This 
morning — it  is  Sunday — we  had  Mass  on  deck, 
and  after  having  been  deprived  of  the  joy  for 


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75 


a few  days,  how  we  did  appreciate  it!  I have  no 
words  to  express  our  happiness — but  you  un- 
derstand. You  can  easily  believe  that  this  has 
been  the  happiest  of  all  our  days  on  the  sea. 
We  foresee  that  we  shall  not  have  time  to  say 
Mass  to-morrow  at  Alexandria,  but  may  Our 
Saviour  be  praised  for  all  things  ! Pray  often 
that  I may  live  for  Him  alone.  This  is  the  grace 
that  a missionary  needs  and  the  one  I most  de- 
sire; or,  at  least,  that  I long  to  desire.  As  for 
you,  dear  Father  and  dear  Mother,  may  you, 
too,  live  all  for  Him  who  tries  and  blesses  you 
at  the  same  time,  and  is  preparing  for  you  a 
beautiful  recompense  in  the  world  to  come. 

“I  embrace  all  at  home.  Father,  Mother, 
Brother.  Good-bye. 

“Your  son  Just. 

“Aboard  the  Said,  eighty  miles  from  Alex- 
andria.” 

At  six  o’clock  the  following  morning  a boat 
took  the  missionaries  from  the  steamer  to  a 
train  which  ran  from  Alexandria^  to  Cairo.  The 
locomotive  was  of  a primitive  type,  and  at  first 
could  not  be  induced  to  start.  The  heat  was  in- 
tense and  the  car  crowded,  so  from  beginning 
to  end  the  trip  was  uncomfortable,  but  it  was 
strange  and  interesting.  As  Father  de  Bretenières 
wrote,  “At  the  first  station  we  found  a great 
crowd  of  Turkish  men  and  women,  many  of 
them  squatted  on  the  ground  and  some  shrieking 


1 The  Suez  Canal  had  not  yet  been  opened. 


76 


For  The  Faith 


in  an  ear-splitting  way.  We  got  out  and  walked 
about  for  half  an  hour  listening  to  the  hubbub 
and  seeing  so  much  misery  that  I went  back  to 
the  train  with  an  aching  heart.  Hundreds  of 
women  reduced  to  the  condition  of  beasts  of 
burden,  and  thousands  of  poor  people  living  in 
the  darkness  of  Mohammedanism!  As  we  con- 
tinued our  journey  the  roads  were  literally  lined 
with  a procession  of  Mussulmen,  mounted  upon 
asses,  horses,  or  mules,  or  trudging  on  foot  in 
a heat  far  more  intense  than  anything  we  knew 
at  home.  Whenever  we  passed  a tree  we  were 
certain  to  see  people  crowded  about  it.  Men, 
women,  and  beasts  would  be  lying  in  the  shade 
and  children  bathing  in  dirty  ponds  in  company 
with  the  cattle.  You  are  probably  wondering 
what  was  the  destination  of  all  this  multitude. 
Not  far  from  Cairo  is  the  village  of  Tantah  — 
a group  of  miserable  mud  houses  covered  with 
branches  dried  in  the  sun.  To  the  Mussulman 
the  place  is  sacred,  for  it  contains  the  tomb  of 
a Mohammedan  monk.  On  the  day  we  passed 
through  a great  fair  was  being  held  there,  which 
accounts  for  the  enormous  and  motley  crowd 
which  we  saw  all  along  our  way.  The  noise  and 
confusion  were  indescribable.  Fortunately  we 
made  but  a short  stop  at  Tantah.  After  we  left 
it  the  pyramids  came  in  sight,  mysterious,  calm, 
symbolic.  We  reached  Cairo  at  half  past  one.” 

Writing  a little  later  Father  de  Bretenières 
said,  “I  should  be  lost  if  I attempted  to  de- 
scribe to  you  this  country  in  which  nothing  is 


Just  de  Bretenières 


77 


like  our  own,  neither  plants,  nor  birds,  nor  beasts, 
nor  men.  My  heart  aches  to  see  these  multi- 
tudes who  in  all  good  faith  are  serving  God  so 
strangely,  but  I love  my  Koreans  better  than 
they  and  rejoice  to  know  that  I am  getting 
nearer  and  nearer  to  my  own  country.  This 
afternoon  we  visited  the  mosque  of  Mohamet 
Ali.” 

He  broke  oh  without  giving  any  description 
of  the  excursion,  but  Father  Beaulieu  wrote  a 
very  amusing  one.  ‘‘Towards  evening,”  he  said, 
“we  mounted  our  asses.  Imagine  the  ten  big, 
hearty  fellows  whom  you  know  so  well  seated 
for  the  first  time  on  poor,  little,  long-eared 
beasts  and  passing  through  the  crowded,  littered 
streets  of  the  city  in  the  wake  of  our  guides,  and 
followed  by  other  Arabs  whose  business  it  was 
to  urge  on  the  laggards  of  the  party.  The  asses 
trotted  or  galloped  through  streets  as  crowded 
as  the  boulevards  of  Paris  with  men  who  did 
not  take  the  trouble  to  get  out  of  our  way,  with 
women  and  children  seated  in  the  dust  before 
their  wretched  cabins,  and  dogs  too  lazy  even 
to  bark.  Thus  did  we  make  our  way  to  the 
great  mosque  of  Cairo. 

“The  ascent  is  easy  so  we  reached  Mohamet 
Ali’s  tomb  without  incident.  The  same  cannot 
be  said  for  the  descent.  After  a short  visit  we 
remounted  our  asses,  and  imagining  that  we 
had  become  adepts  by  this  time  started  off  at  a 
trot.  Woe  unto  us!  In  the  most  crowded  and 
fashionable  part  of  the  city  Fathers  Huin  and 


78 


For  The  Faith 


Lesserteur  were  unable  to  check  the  dizzy  pace 
of  their  asses,  and  suddenly  they  found  them- 
selves passing  over  their  ears  with  more  haste 
than  dignity  — to  the  great  amusement  of  the 
natives.  They  landed  on  a heap  of  rubbish.  Do 
not  think,  how^ever,  that  this  little  accident  dis- 
gusted us  with  riding  on  asses.  We  made  another 
excursion  that  same  day.” 

It  was  Father  de  Bretenières  who  described 
the  second  trip,  undertaken  at  his  suggestion. 
“While  we  were  at  supper,”  he  said,  “we  decided 
to  make  another  sort  of  pilgrimage  that  evening. 
In  an  oasis,  three  miles  from  Cairo,  there  is  an 
old,  old  tree  at  whose  base,  so  tradition  says,  the 
Holy  Family  rested  as  they  came  into  Egypt. 
You  can  imagine  how  eager  we  were  to  visit  a 
spot  where  our  dear  Lord  probably  reposed;  so, 
at  nine  o’clock,  we  set  out  accompanied  by  native 
guides  who  carried  lanterns.  We  passed  through 
the  streets  of  the  city,  looking  as  strange  as  we 
felt,  and  softly  singing  hymns  all  the  while  to 
the  accompaniment  of  the  trotting  of  our  asses. 
On  reaching  the  desert  they  began  to  gallop.-  I 
assure  you  that  in  all  your  life  you  never  saw 
as  funny  a spectacle  as  we  made.  I shall  not 
attempt  to  describe  it.  Imagine  it  for  yourselves. 
You  cahnot  make  the  picture  too  ridiculous. 
We  reached  our  oasis  by  midnight  in  spite  of 
tumbles  and  somersaults,  for  such  trifles  were 
not  allowed  to  interfere  with  the  speed  of  the 
party  as  a v/hole.  Whenever  anyone  fell  behind 
he  overtook  the  rest  as  quickly  as  possible  to 


Just  de  Bretenières 


79 


escape  the  jibes  of  the  Arabs,  who  had  great 
fun  at  our  expense.  We  grouped  ourselves  on 
one  side  of' the  tree,  and  twenty  or  twenty-five 
natives,  drawn  by  curiosity,  ranged  themselves 
on  the  other.  We  sang  the  Ave  Maris  Stella 
and  recited  the  prayers  we  used  to  say  on  Satur- 
day evenings  at  the  oratory  in  Paris.  It  was  a 
sweet  reminder  of  that  dear  seminary  of  which 
I can  never  think  without  feeling  my  heart  beat 
fast.  You  do  not  know  how  deeply  I love  it. 
I did  not  know  myself  until  I came  away.  It 
enshrines  my  sweetest  memories.  Praise  be  to 
God!— 

“We  reached  our  lodging  place  at  three  o’clock 
in  the  morning.  I had  not  fallen  once,  but  some 
of  the  others  — Father  Beaulieu,  among  them  — 
count  their  tumbles  by  the  half  dozens.  No  one 
was  hurt,  however,  although  Father  Huin  had 
a narrow  escape.  He  would  surely  have  broken 
some  of  his  bones  if  his  ass  had  not  obligingly 
landed  underneath  when  they  fell  into  a hole. 
We  had  to  pull  the  poor  beast  out  by  his  tail. 

“At  four  o’clock  we  began  to  say  our  Masses 
in  the  church  of  the  Franciscan  Fathers.  It  was 
the  first  time  that  most  of  us  had  had  the  joy 
since  leaving  Marseilles.  Note  that  it  was  July 
twenty-sixth,  St.  Anne’s  feast  day  and  yours. 
Mother.  It  was  your  patron  which  obtained  for 
me  this  consolation  whose  rarity,  added  to  our 
isolation  in  a pagan  land,  made  it  extraordinarily 
precious.  I am  sure  that  our  dear  Lord  gave  you 
a great  part  of  the  merit  of  the  Divine  Sacrifice, 


80 


For  The  Faith 


offered  in  that  stronghold  of  Mohammedanism. 

“At  seven  o’clock  that  morning  we  took  the 
train  for  Suez  and  passed  almost  exactly  over 
the  way  which  the  Israelites  traveled  from  Egypt 
to  the  Red  Sea.  We  can  imagine  from  our  short 
experiences  here  what  the  heat  of  the  desert  is. 
That  evening,  after  three  or  four  hours’  delay 
in  Seuz,  a boat  took  us  to  our  steamer,  the 
Cambodia, 

“Suez  is  a group  of  huts  made  of  earth  and 
rough  stones  in  which  live  several  thousands  of 
Arabs,  Egyptians,  Blacks,  and  Europeans.  We 
saw  no  vegetation  except  a few  sickly  trees  in 
the  court  of  a little  hotel  built  by  a European 
for  the  accommodation  of  European  travelers. 
It  is  a sad,  sad  place.  There  is  a poor  little 
chapel  where  Our  Lord  is  adored  only  by  two 
or  three  Franciscan  Fathers  who  are  alone  in 
the  midst  of  the  pagan  multitude.  We  were 
overjoyed  to  find  their  haven  of  rest  where  we 
threw  ourselves  at  Our  Saviour’s  feet. 

“The  Cambodia  is  one  of  the  largest  of  the 
mail  boats  and  has  a crew  of  two  hundred  men. 
There  are  only  forty  or  fifty  passengers.  About 
thirty  of  the  sailors  are  Frenchmen,  and  the 
rest  Chinamen,  negroes,  Malays,  etc.,  and  each 
wears  the  costume  of  his  own  country.  It  is  a 
Babylon  where  all  languages  are  spoken  and 
many  religions  practiced.  I am  writing  to  you 
squatted  on  the  steps  that  lead  to  the  forecastle, 
and  from  here  I see  three  negroes  beating  their 


Just  de  Bretenières 


81 


hands  rhythmically  and  monotonously  singing 
their  prayers  to  I do  not  know  what  pagan  god. 

“I  told  you  that  we  boarded  the  Cambodia  on 
the  evening  of  July  twenty-sixth.  It  was  not 
until  ten  o’clock  the  next  morning  that  her  an- 
chor was  raised  and  we  set  sail  on  this  sea  so 
rich  In  associations.  We  chanted  the  psalm  In 
Exitu  at  the  spot  where  the  Hebrews  are  thought 
to  have  crossed  It,  and  we  had  a fine  view  of 
Mt.  Sinai,  so  you  see  how  close  to  the  Bible  we 
are  living.  We  are  very  happy. 

“We  are  not  making  good  time.  It  Is  Sunday 
and  we  have  no  hope  of  reaching  Aden  before 
Wednesday,  when  we  shall  have  been  eight  days 
on  the  Red  sea.  Often  we  make  only  five  knots 
an  hour.  Instead  of  twelve  or  thirteen,  as  we 
did  on  the  Mediterranean,  partly  because  some 
of  our  boilers  burst  a few  days  ago.  One  by 
one  they  are  being  mended,  so  we  shall  soon  be 
able  to  go  faster. 

“Our  captain  and  several  of  the  officers  are 
good  Catholics.  As  soon  as  we  came  aboard  the 
captain  put  at  our  disposal  a little  room  where 
we  may  say  Mass  whenever  the  weather  per- 
mits; In  return,  he  asked  our  prayers  for  himself 
and  the  crew,  and  requested  that  if  the  weather 
is  favorable  we  should  have  one  Mass  on  deck 
every  Sunday,  that  all  who  wish  may  be  present. 
So,  this  morning  an  awning  was  stretched  over 
one  end  of  the  deck,  and  on  a simple  but  very 
nice  little  altar  Father  Beaulieu  offered  the  Holy 
Sacrifice.  How  beautiful  it  was,  that  Mass  said 


82 


For  The  Faith 


on  the  sea  with  only  sky  and  water  to  be  seen 
in  all  directions!  Many  were  present,  the  cap- 
tain and  first  mate  among  the  rest,  and  they 
knelt  devoutly  from  beginning  to  end.  Gloria  in 
excelsis  Deo  I 

“Monday,  August  first.  I am  anxious  to  finish 
my  letter  to-day.  We  are  making  better  time 
now.  Our  boilers  are  in  order  and  an  English 
vessel  is  giving  us  chase,  and  our  captain  does 
not  want  it  to  pass  us.  The  heat  is  so  intense 
that  my  paper  gets  damp  as  I write,  but  we  do 
not  find  it  hard  to  bear.  Fans  are  suspended 
from  the  ceiling  and  little  Chinese  boys  pull 
strings  which  keep  them  in  motion.  It  is  funny 
to  see,  and  the  effect  is  delightful.  In  fact,  with- 
out the  fans  we  should  be  in  danger  of  heat 
prostration.  Despite  the  weather  we  are  all 
well,  thanks  to  the  good  Mother  who  has  us 
in  her  care.  She  fills  our  hearts  with  joy,  and 
the  little  sufferings  which  fall  to  our  lot  as  we 
travel  are  sweetened  by  the  thought  that  our 
Divine  Savior  endured  far  greater  ones.  We 
really  ought  to  suffer  some  discomfort;  suffering 
is  the  daily  bread  of  a missionary.  ...  I hope 
that  you  rejoice,  dear  Father  and  Mother,  in  the 
thought  of  having  sacrificed  to  God’s  service 
what  you  love  best  in  this  world.  No  matter 
how  little  I am  worth,  if  you  make  your  offer- 
ing generously  Our  Lord  will  reward  you  super- 
abundantly. 

“Good-bye,  my  loved  ones.  God  be  with  you 
always! 


Just  de  Bretenières 


83 


Only  ten  days,  later  Father  de  Bretenières 
wrote  another,  but  much  shorter,  letter  to  his 
parents,  saying,  “To-morrow  we  expect  to  reach 
Pointe  de  Galle  (Ceylon)  where  we  shall  meet 
the  Paris  mail,  which  is  the  reason  that  I am 
writing  a few  more  lines  to  you.  Our  trip  has 
been  very  happy.  We  reached  Aden  in  the  morn- 
ing of  August  second,  but  did  not  land.  The 
heat  was  so  intense  that  it  would  have  been  rash, 
and  the  officers  urged  us  to  remain  where  we 
were.  We  left  there  after  ten  hours’  stay,  and 
ever  since  the  sea  has  been  rough,  and  for  two 
days  the  wind  was  very  high.  One  of  our  sails 
was  carried  away,  and  in  spite  of  its  size  our 
boat  was  tossed  about  like  a cork.  Often  waves 
swept  over  the  deck  and  carried  with  them  all 
that  was  not  nailed  to  it.  I managed  to  keep 
up  for  two  or  three  hours  but  seasickness  got 
-the  better  of  me  at  last.  I was  obliged  to  go  to 
my  cabin  and  did  not  reappear  for  several  days. 
A furious  sea  is  a magnificent  spectacle  — but 
oh,  if  it  would  only  treat  us  poor  mortals  better  ! 
We  were  a ridiculous  party  those  three  days,  I 
do  assure  you. 

“Now  the  weather  is  lovely,  though  you  can 
judge  from  my  writing  that  the  sea  is  still  rough. 
I am  squatted  in  a sheltered  corner,  or  more 
than  once  since  I began  this  I should  have  turned 
a somersault.  Again  I repeat,  we  were  very 
happy.  There  is  a thought  that  comes  often  to 
our  minds:  we  hope  that  the  little  sufferings 
which  our  dear  Lord  sends  us  from  time  to 


84 


For  The  Faith 


time  are  good  not  only  for  us,  but  also  for  the 
precious  souls  to  whom  we  have  been  sent.  It 
fills  us  with  joy  to  believe  this. 

“We  skirted  the  coast  of  Africa  and  the  Is- 
land of  Socotra  and  did  not  see  land  again 
until  last  evening  when  we  passed  close  to  a 
little  island  of  the  Maidive  Archipelago.  It  was 
covered  with  cocoanut  trees,  and  all  unlike  Suez 
and  x\den. 

“Our  greatest  privation  is  being  unable  to  say 
Mass.  This  gives  us  pain,  but  Our  Lord  will  not 
forget  it.  Sunday  passed  like  any  other  day,  but 
it  was  God’s  will.  x\men.” 

Father  de  Bretenières  wrote  again,  only  a 
week  later,  as  the  Cambodia  passed  through  the 
Strait  of  Malacca.  “Dear  Father,  dear  Mother, 
dear  Brother,”  he  began;  “This  is  the  first  calm 
day  we  have  had  since  we  left  Aden  and  I am 
taking  advantage  of  it  lest  the  good  weather 
should  not  last.  I expected  to  be  able  to  send 
my  last  letter  by  a French  mail  from  Ceylon,  but 
we  were  too  late  to  catch  it.  The  Erymauthe 
left  port  two  hours  before  we  reached  it.  It 
is  a miserable  harbor,  by  the  way,  and  the  en- 
trance is  dangerous,  especially  in  a full  sea  such 
as  we  had  at  the  time.  But  Our  Lady  watches 
over  us  constantly  so  all  went  well.  On  Thurs- 
day, August  eleventh,  about  nine  o’clock  in  the 
morning  we  cast  anchor  close  to  some  English 
war  ships.  Even  in  the  harbor  the  sea  was  so 
furious  that  one  of  our  hea\’y  cables  snapped 
like  a thread.  A brig  which  entered  after  us  was 


Just  de  Bretenières 


85 


dashed  against  the  roclcs  and  struck  a leak,  but 
every  one  aboard  was  saved.  Our  boat  rocked  so 
violently  that  only  ourselves,  two  officers,  and 
two  other  passengers  attempted  to  land. 

“To  disembark  we  were  obliged  to  seize  a 
moment  when  the  little  native  boat  was  lifted  on 
the  waves  almost  to  the  height  of  the  ladder  of 
our  ship,  and  then,  just  at  the  right  instant  to 
jump  into  the  midst  of  the  sailors,  who  caught 
us  as  we  fell.  The  first  nine  of  us  succeeded 
admirably  but  Father  Huin,  who  was  last  to 
jump,  gave  us  a fright  by  missing  his  aim  and 
slipping  under  the  ladder,  where  he  hung  over 
the  water  by  his  hands  and  feet.  Some  one  went 
quickly  to  his  rescue,  and  his  second  effort  was 
successful.  I have  rarely  seen  anything  as  funny 
as  the  whole  scene. 

“On  landing,  the  first  thing  we  did  was  to  rest, 
for  the  long  rough  passage  from  Aden  had  tired 
us  all.  I could  tell  you  many  curious  things  about 
this  beautiful  island  of  Ceylon,  but  it  would  take 
too  long.  Nothing  is  like  what  we  saw  at  home. 
The  costumes  are  strange  and  varied.  The  ca- 
noes of  the  natives  are  made  of  the  hollowed 
trunks  of  cocoanut  trees.  They  are  long  but  so 
narrow  that  it  is  possible  to  keep  only  one  leg 
inside;  the  other  rests  on  the  rim. 

“Of  course  we  went  to  see  the  Father  in 
charge  of  the  mission.  He  received  us  like  broth- 
ers and  we  remained  with  him  for  twenty-four 
hours.  His  little  church  and  house  are  at  the 
entrance  to  a great  grove  of  cocoanut  trees.  We 


86 


For  The  Faith 


had  hardly  arrived  before  boys  brought  us  nuts 
to  use  for  drinking  cups.  We  were  fed  like  the 
Indians  on  cocoanuts,  bananas,  a vegetable  not 
unlike  potatoes,  and  thin  rice  cakes  baked  on  the 
coals.  I was  delighted  to  live  as  one  does  on  the 
missions;  such  food  is  more  suitable  for  us  than 
delicacies  prepared  by  a French  cook.  In  the 
morning  we  all  said  Mass.  For  me  and  for  sev- 
eral of  the  others  it  was  the  second  time  since 
we  left  Marseilles,  so  you  can  understand  why 
we  were  so  eager  to  land.  Missioners  have  a 
right  to  privations  in  this  life,  but  one  that  cuts 
to  the  heart  is  being  deprived  of  the  privilege 
of  saying  Mass.  Our  Lord  has  willed  that  we 
should  taste  it,  and  like  all  else  that  comes  from 
His  loving  hands  it  brings  sweetness  as  well 
as  suffering.  Whatever  comes  we  can  only  say, 
‘Blessed  be  the  Lord!’ 

“The  roughness  of  the  sea  made  it  difficult  to 
coal  the  Cambodia,  so  we  were  obliged  to  remain 
at  Pointe  de  Galle  for  two  days.  It  was  not 
until  Saturday,  at  two  in  the  afternoon,  that  we 
were  ready  to  set  sail.” 

At  Ceylon  fresh  partings  began  for  the  mis- 
sioners. Two  of  their  number,  Fathers  Ver- 
dier and  Barré,  there  left  their  friends  to  go  to 
Pondicherry.  For  fear  of  breaking  down  good- 
byes were  quickly  said,  but  not  so  quickly  that  no 
tears  were  shed.  Father  Beaulieu’s  notes,  after 
a few  sad  words  about  the  separation,  hasten  to 
change  the  subject:  “On  Sunday,  and  on  Mon- 
day, feast  of  the  Assumption,  we  were  able  to 


Just  de  Bretenières 


87 


Mass.  The  sea  was  perfectly  calm,  and  is  so 
still.  We  hope  to  reach  Singapore  by  Wednes- 
day morning.  I shall  entrust  my  diary  to  Father 
Patriat  w^hom  it  will  be  a great  joy  to  see  again. 
In  two  weeks  we  hope  to  reach  Shanghai,  and 
will  not  be  sorry  to  be  where  we  can  resume  our 
quiet,  regular,  community  life.” 

A few  days  later  another  parting  wounded  the 
loving  hearts  of  the  missioners.  Father  Grous- 
seau  separated  from  his  companions  to  go  to 
Siam.  The  valiant  little  band  counted  only  seven 
when  the  Cambodia  approached  the  mouth  of 
the  Saigon  river.  It  was  going  at  full  speed 
when  from  a little  Annamite  boat  a voice  called, 
“Father  Guerrin,  are  you  on  board?” 

All  the  missioners  hurried  to  the  deck  and 
were  in  time  to  see  two  of  their  old  friends  of 
the  Foreign  Mission  seminary  whom  they  had 
expected  to  meet  at  Singapore,  but  who,  obliged 
to  take  advantage  of  the  trade  winds,  had  been 
unable  to  wait  longer  for  them.  They  were  on 
their  way  to  Cochin-China.  Messages  were  called 
back  and  forth  and  letters  were  exchanged,  but 
very  quickly  the  boats  were  too  far  apart  for  any 
communication.  The  Koreans  had  looked  for- 
ward to  the  meeting  and  were  keenly  disap- 
pointed, but  their  fiat  was  soon  said.  As  Father 
de  Bretenières  remarked  in  regard  to  another 
of  their  trials,  “The  apostolate  is  one  long  re- 
nouncement.” 

In  Saigon  the  missioners  lodged  in  the  episco- 
pal palace — a pretty  little  cabin,  built  of  wood. 


88 


For  The  Faith 


From  there  they  went  to  Singapore  whence  they 
soon  started  for  Hongkong.  When  the  Cam- 
bodia  was  about  to  pass  by  night  through  the 
dangerous  Strait  of  Malacca  the  look-out  vainly 
tried  to  see  the  signal  which  In  those  waters  took 
the  place  of  a light-house.  The  captain,  a man 
of  strong  faith,  seeing  Fathers  de  Bretenières 
and  Beaulieu  standing  together  approached  them, 
and  said,  “Gentlemen,  please  say  a Hail  Mary 
at  once  that  we  may  see  the  signal.”  Much 
edified  the  two  priests  knelt  where  they  were 
and  said  a fervent  Hail  Mary  and  three  times 
the  Invocation,  “Star  of  the  Sea,  pray  for  us.” 
Instantly  the  signal  fire  became  visible.  The  next 
morning  the  captain,  meeting  Father  de  Bre- 
tenières as  he  left  his  cabin,  said  to  him,  “Your 
prayers  were  answered  last  night,  but  say  more 
of  them.  We  are  not  yet  safe.  In  half  an  hour 
we  must  pass  between  other  dangerous  rocks.” 

On  August  twenty-eight  the  Cambodia  safely 
reached  Hongkong,  the  end  of  its  journey.  To 
transfer  the  trunks  and  boxes  confided  to  the 
young  priests  for  the  missions  of  Hongkong, 
Manchuria,  and  Korea,  from  the  ship  to  the 
wharf  and  from  there  to  the  mission  house 
proved  to  be  a difficult  task,  for  modern  methods 
were  then  unknown — at  least  in  China.  The  bag- 
gage being  heavy  the  three  strongest  were  chosen 
to  care  for  it.  Father  de  Bretenières  among  the 
number.  Armed  with  long  bamboo  sticks,  pro- 
vided by  the  captain,  they  started  towards  the 
wharf  in  a junk.  All  went  well  until  they  tried 


S 


i 


/ -r. 


„'i-  - 


'( 


[ 


r 


Just  de  Bretenières 


89 


to  reach  an  agreement  about  wages — always  a 
difficult  matter  to  settle  with  the  Chinese,  and 
the  coolies  in  question  proved  to  be  particularly 
stubborn  and  unreasonable.  When,  after  much 
wearisome  haggling  a certain  sum  was  agreed 
upon  the  men  seemed  to  be  satisfied,  but  soon 
they  stopped  working  and  declared  that  the 
promised  wage  was  not  sufficient.  More  discus- 
sion followed,  interminable  and  exasperating. 
The  coolies  would  not  listen  to  reason.  A Chris- 
tian whispered  to  Father  de  Bretenières,  “Un- 
less the  Fathers  appear  to  be  angry  we  shall 
never  get  away  from  here  without  losing  a num- 
ber of  boxes.”  Acting  on  this  suggestion  Just 
said  threateningly,  “In  a moment  we  shall  begin 
to  strike  all  who  do  not  obey  us.  Then  you  will 
see  how  strong  we  are.”  The  effect  was  magical 
— but  not  in  the  way  the  missionaries  had  hoped. 
The  coolies  absolutely  refused  to  move  at  all. 
The  Fathers  talked  in  loud  voices  and  made 
menacing  gestures  : to  no  purpose.  A crowd  had 
gathered  by  this  time  and  there  was  danger  that 
all  their  baggage  would  be  stolen.  They  had 
become  terribly  anxious  when  a policeman  ap* 
peared.  He  dispersed  the  crowd  in  no  gentle 
way  and  the  porters,  cowed  at  last,  resumed 
their  work. 

Twenty-four  hours  later  the  missioners  boarded 
a little  American  ship  which  took  them  to  Can- 
ton. The  Koreans  went  there  only  to  accompany 
Father  Guerrin.  On  the  wharf  they  had  further 
trouble  about  their  baggage  and  no  policeman 


90 


For  The  Faith 


appeared  opportunely,  but  their  first  experience 
had  taught  them  many  things  and  they  reached 
Bishop  Guiilemin’s  house  without  having  lost  any 
of  their  precious  boxes.  Father  de  Bretenières 
wrote,  “A  poor  episcopal  palace  : some  wretched 
huts  crowded  together  and  facing  on  a narrow 
alley.  But  what  a bishop,  and  what  a father!  I 
knelt  at  his  feet  and  he  gave  me  his  blessing.” 

The  four  Koreans  soon  returned  to  Hongkong, 
where  they  found  letters  awaiting  them  which 
gave  new  instructions.  They  were  told  to  re- 
main in  Hongkong  for  a month  instead  of  going 
directly  to  Shanghai,  which  is  unhealthful  in  Sep- 
tember. “Hongkong  is  a veritable  Babylon,” 
Just  wrote.  “There  are  people  here  of  all  relig- 
ions. In  walking  through  the  streets  we  some- 
times see  within  the  shops  a greater  or  less 
number  of  candles  burning  in  honor  of  the  pro- 
prietor’s ancestors.  Yesterday  I saw  a China- 
man in  the  middle  of  the  street  before  one  of 
the  temples,  taking  great  pains  to  make  five  or 
six  little,  lighted  sticks  stand  straight  between 
two  stones.  The  god  in  whose  honor  he  was 
taking  so  much  trouble  did  not  seem  to  be 
pleased  with  his  efforts  for  the  sticks  fell  in  all 
directions,  extinguishing  their  fires.  But  the  good 
fellow  was  not  discouraged,  and  tried  again  and 
again.  We  saw  another  man  w^alking  through  the 
streets  carrying  half  a dozen  paper  devils  strung 
on  a stick,  each  of  them  painted  in  many  colors 
and  all  horribly  grotesque.  They  were  to  be 


Just  de  Bretenières 


91 


burned  in  honor  of  other,  more  important  de- 
mons. Oh  the  happiness  of  being  a Christian!” 

The  instructions  sent  to  Father  de  Bretenières 
and  his  companions  directed  that  from  Shanghai 
they  should  go  by  sea  to  the  mouth  of  the  Leao 
Ho  river  and  from  there  travel  south-east  by 
land  through  the  province  of  Leao  Tong  in  Man- 
churia. In  this  province,  and  under  the  jurisdic- 
tion of  the  vicar-apostolic.  Bishop  Verrolles,  they 
were  to  pass  the  winter.  When  spring  came  they 
were  to  try  to  enter  Korea.  Father  de  Breten- 
ières told  his  parents  of  these  arrangements,  and 
added,  “Since  the  good  Lord  wishes  us  to  wan- 
der a long  time  before  reaching  the  Promised 
Land,  His  holy  will  be  done!  We  were  never 
happier  than  we  are  now.  As  for  you,  my  dear 
ones,  place  yourselves  unreservedly  in  God’s 
hands.  We  are  all  wayfarers  here.  Our  father- 
land  above  is  surpassingly  beautiful  and  nothing 
can  satisfy  the  longings  of  our  hearts,  little  as 
they  are,  but  the  eternal  possession  of  Him  Whom 
we  love  to  folly.  They  say  that  I was  foolish  to 
come  to  Korea,  but  it  is  a foolishness  that  costs 
little,  and  is  very  sweet  to  a heart  such  as  I 
wish  mine  to  become  and  as  I hope  with  God’s 
grace  that  it  will  be  some  day.” 

This  letter  gave  details  of  the  last  stages  of 
the  long  journey,  and  concluded  by  saying,  “Do 
not  expect  to  hear  from  me  soon  again.  After 
we  leave  here  communication  with  the  outer 
world  will  be  difficult.  Good-bye,  dear  Father 
and  Mother.  Serve  God  with  all  your  strength 


92 


For  The  Faith 


and  pray  that  I may  serve  Him,  too.  Forgive  me 
all  the  pain  I ever  caused  you — and  forgive  this 
endless,  wordy  letter  which  I send  because  I 
think  it  may  give  you  pleasure.  Good-bye,  dear 
Christian.  Where  are  you  now?  I do  not  know, 
but  I think  of  you  often  and  pray  much  for  you. 
There  is  really  no  need  of  my  writing  to  you. 
The  one  thing  necessary  is  that  we  should  love 
Jesus  with  our  whole  hearts.  Good-bye,  each  one, 
and  may  Our  Saviour  give  you  His  peace  and 
His  joy!” 

At  the  end  of  September  the  four  Koreans 
embarked  for  Shanghai,  and  there  they  took 
passage  for  Leao  Tong.  The  roughness  of  the 
sea  and  a high  wind  made  navigation  difficult, 
and  the  pilot  being  unskillful  they  were  dashed 
against  the  river  bank;  and  hardly  had  they 
gained  the  open  sea  when  a storm  arose  which 
for  two  days  and  three  nights  threatened  the 
vessel  with  shipwreck  and  drove  it  close  to  the 
coast  of  Korea.  How  longingly  the  missioners 
gazed  upon  its  rugged  outline  ! A few  calm  days 
followed,  then  more  bad  weather,  but  the  party 
reached  the  Leao  Ho  safely  at  last.  Writing 
aboard  ship  Father  de  Bretenières  said, 

“Our  long  journey  is  almost  ended.  Please 
have  some  Masses  said  at  an  altar  dedicated  to 
the  Blessed  Virgin  to  thank  her  for  her  protec- 
tion and  to  obtain  for  us  all  the  graces  we  need 
to  make  us  good  missioners. 

“We  shall  land  at  Ing  Tze,  and  there  seek 
some  means  of  transporting  the  trunks  and  boxes 


Just  de  Bretenières 


93 


which  were  entrusted  to  our  care  for  the  mission 
of  Manchuria  and  Korea.  It  seems  that  they 
have  little,  slow-moving  carts,  and  we  are  going 
to  try  to  rent  one.  We  had  to  leave  Shanghai 
without  passports  but  do  not  anticipate  any 
trouble  on  that  score 

“I  Interrupted  my  letter  to  take  a walk  with 
my  brothers.  The  water  is  so  quiet  to-day  that 
I can  almost  believe  that  I am  on  a Swiss  lake. 
In  two  or  three  hours  we  shall  enter  the  mouth 
of  the  river.  Thanks  be  to  God  I After  a journey 
as  long  and  perilous  as  ours  has  been  a man  feels 
like  thanking  God  again  and  again.  Unite  your 
voices  with  ours  which  are  so  feeble.  We  are  in 
the  midst  of  a pagan  people  and  see  much  to  sad-' 
den  us,  and  although  we  are  trying  to  accustom 
ourselves  to  our  surroundings  v/e  often  think  of 
the  magnificent  churches  of  France  and  the  su- 
blimity of  Divine  worship  there.  But  it  was  for 
Our  Lord  that  we  left  some  of  the  beauties  of 
our  holy  religion,  and  if  in  reward  for  this  sac- 
rifice He  permits  us  to  save  souls,  how  happy  we 
shall  be!  God’s  will  now  and  always!  We  are 
offering  Him  our  little  mite  of  good  will  and  our 
little  share  of  suffering. 

“We  are  exceptionally  well  cared  for  aboard 
this  ship.  Everyone  treats  us  with  utmost  kind- 
ness and  does  everything  to  make  us  comfort- 
able. The  captain  speaks  English  and  German, 
and  his  mate  speaks  English,  so  I have  talked 
both  languages  — after  a fashion  — for  three 
weeks.  It  is  such  a pity  that  these  splendid  fel- 


94 


For  The  Faith 


lows  are  not  Catholics.  They  often  ask  questions 
about  our  Faith.  Sometimes  we  sing  beautiful 
bits  of  plain  chant  which  charm  the  captain  who, 
by  the  way,  is  full  of  admiration  for  all  mission- 
ers.  May  God  draw  to  Himself  a soul  so  upright 
and  so  rich  in  true  charity! 

“I  have  read  and  re-read  the  letter  from  home 
which  reached  me  at  Shanghai,  and  cannot  tell 
you  all  the  joy  I feel  because  God  asks  of  you, 
dear  Father  and  dear  Mother,  the  sacrifice  of 
your  second  son  that  he,  too,  may  be  a priest. 
Of  course  your  hearts  ache,  and  ache  sorely, 
but  Our  dear  Lord  wishes  your  gratitude  to  be 
stronger  even  than  your  grief.  I know  that  you 
praise  and  bless  Him  for  the  great  graces  He 
has  showered  on  Christian.” 


Just  de  Bretenîêres 


95 


CHAPTER  VIL 

A Winter  in  Manchuria. 

On  the  twenty-eighth  of  October,  after  twenty- 
two  days  at  sea,  the  weary  little  band  set  foot 
on  the  soil  of  Manchuria.  Fathers  Huin  and  de 
Bretenières  at  once  sought  out  some  English 
merchants,  recommended  as  honest  and  reliable, 
who  procured  for  them  two  carts  and  two  saddle 
horses,  and  invited  them  to  a dinner.  As  soon 
as  the  meal  was  ended  the  missioners  started  on 
a strange  journey  through  that  strange  land.  The 
prevailing  mode  of  travel  was  far  more  pictur- 
esque than  comfortable.  Father  Dorie  and  Father 
Beaulieu  mounted  the  two  small,  fat,  Manchurian 
horses.  The  saddles  were  peculiar  and  the  stir- 
rups very  high.  They  were  directed  to  allow 
their  right  arms  to  hang  and  to  lean  forward 
after  the  approved  Chinese  fashion  of  the  day. 
Fathers  Huin  and  de  Bretenières  had  to  make  a 
running  jump  to  get  into  carriages  painted  light 
blue  on  the  outside  and  on  the  inside  ornamented 
with  white  tulle  embroidered  in  black,  and  so 
small  that  Father  de  Bretenières  was  at  a loss 
what  to  do  with  his  long  legs.  The  mules  that 
drew  them  set  forth  at  an  incredibly  slow  pace 
through  mud  which  often  reached  to  the  axles  of 
the  wheels;  and  later,  on  getting  out  of  the  mire. 


96 


For  The  Faith 


they  trotted  over  rocky  slopes,  mercilessly  throw- 
ing the  travelers  against  the  top  and  sides  of 
their  cages,  until  they  were  bruised  and  sore 
from  head  to  foot. 

When  night  approached  the  guides  insisted  on 
stopping  at  an  inn,  which,  in  Manchuria,  meant 
a long  hall,  inconceivably  dirty,  with  fires  kept 
burning  beneath  the  brick  floor  from  October 
until  April  so  that  the  guests  would  not  suffer 
greatly  from  the  intense  cold.  Not  knowing  one 
word  of  the  language,  and  anxious  to  arouse  no 
suspicion,  and  if  possible  not  even  to  excite  curi- 
osity, the  missioners  were  in  a delicate  position. 
Thanks  to  their  presence  of  mind,  and  perhaps, 
too,  to  a boyish  sense  of  fun  in  the  adventure, 
they  played  their  difficult  parts  well.  With  great 
dignity  and  in  absolute  silence  they  took  their 
places  on  the  floor  with  as  much  ease  as  if  they 
had  never  known  chairs.  Fortunately,  they  had 
been  told  that  each  guest’s  mat  must  serve  suc- 
cessively as  seat,  table,  and  bed. 

But  they  could  not  escape  observation,  nor  fail 
to  arouse  curiosity,  dressed  entirely  in  black  as 
they  were,  and  despite  themselves,  foreign  in  ap- 
pearance and  manner.  Soon  a circle  of  curious 
Manchurians  surrounded  them,  watching  every 
movement.  Very  gravely  the  missioners  lit  their 
pipes,  and  seeming  to  pay  no  heed  to  their  audi- 
ence they  smoked  tranquilly.  After  a time  a 
strange  repast  was  served  on  stranger  dishes. 
The  missioners  knew  that  it  would  not  be  pru- 
dent for  them  to  eat  in  public:  their  fellow  guests 


Just  de  Bretenières 


97 


would  then  see  how  unaccustomed  they  were  to 
Chinese  food  and  to  Chinese  customs,  and  they 
would  lose  all  prestige  by  making  themselves 
ridiculous.  Father  Huin  saved  the  day.  By  a 
haughty  gesture  he  signified  that  the  strangers 
desired  to  be  alone,  and  the  spectators  reluctantly 
withdrew.  As  soon  as  they  were  gone  the  priests 
ate  in  peace,  with  no  little  fun  over  the  queer 
dishes  and  their  own  peculiar  table  manners. 

Covered  with  vermin  from  the  filthy  inn,  they 
set  forth  at  daybreak  the  next  morning,  and 
reached  the  nearest  mission,  Yang  Kouan  (Our 
Lady  of  the  Sun)  in  time  to  say  Mass.  Father 
Métayer,  of  the  Paris  Foreign  Mission  Society, 
was  in  charge  there,  and  warmed  their  hearts  by 
his  cordial  welcome.  Three  days  later  the  little 
band  left  Our  Lady  of  the  Sun  for  the  residence 
of  Bishop  Verrolles,  about  forty-five  miles  away 
— too  long  a journey  for  one  day,  because  the 
roads  were  in  a deplorable  condition.  An  an- 
noying accident  interrupted  the  first  day’s  travel, 
when  the  wagon  which  carried  the  priests  and 
all  their  belongings  overturned  in  the  mud.  No 
one  was  much  hurt,  but  to  get  the  wagon  on  its 
wheels  once  more  and  to  load  into  it  the  mud- 
covered  trunks  and  provisions  was  a hard  and 
disagreeable  task.  The  party  passed  the  night 
in  the  house  of  excellent  Christians,  where  with 
no  fear  of  mockery  they  ate,  or  tried  to  eat, 
Chinese-fashion. 

The  following  day  they  had  their  first  encoun- 
ters with  the  brigands  who  infested  all  lonely 


98 


For  The  Faith 


places  in  Manchuria;  but  the  outlaws,  seeing  a 
French  flag  which  the  missioners  had  placed  on 
the  front  of  their  wagon,  thought  it  best  to  al- 
low them  to  pass  unharmed.  At  dusk  other  more 
desperate  brigands  surrounded  the  party  and  in- 
sisted on  having  at  least  their  hand  luggage.  “If 
you  dare  to  touch  it  you  will  see  what  happens,” 
the  driver  said  menacingly.  Intimidated,  but  not 
yet  beaten,  the  brigands  kept  close  to  the  wagon 
for  an  entire  hour,  during  which  the  four  black- 
clad  missioners  said  not  a word,  and  never  took 
their  hands  from  pockets  that,  the  outlaws  feared, 
might  contain  European  pistols,  of  which  they 
knew  enough  to  be  in  terror.  At  last  prudence 
gained  the  upper  hand  and  they  turned  back,  leav- 
ing the  priests  and  their  belongings  untouched; 
and  all  the  while  the  four  had  kept  their  hands 
in  their  pockets  because  they  were  cold! 

Late  in  the  evening  they  sav/,  faintly  outlined 
against  the  sky,  the  little  Gothic  tower  of  the 
church  of  our  Lady  of  the  Snow,  the  village  in 
which  Bishop  Verrolles  made  his  headquarters; 
and  a few  minutes  later  he  was  welcoming  them 
as  lovingly  as  their  own  fathers  could  have  done. 
Despite  the  poverty  and  the  smallness  of  his 
house  he  kept  them  with  him  for  two  weeks. 
Father  Huin  was  then  sent  to  The  Valley  of  the 
Willow,  Father  Beaulieu  to  The  Desert  of  the 
West,  Father  Dorie  to  Wolf  Valley,  and  Father 
de  Bretenières  back  to  Our  Lady  of  the  Sun,  the 
mission  of  Father  Métayer. 

Manchuria  is  intensely  cold  in  winter,  the  tern- 


Just  de  Bretenières 


99 


perature  often  falling  to  thirty  degrees  below 
zero,  and  necessarily  Father  de  Bretenières’  first 
care  was  to  adopt  the  costume  of  the  country,  not 
only  that  he  might  be  inconspicuous,  but  for  the 
sake  of  Its  warmth.  He  wrote  to  his  parents, 
“My  feet  are  now  at  home  In  an  immense  pair 
of  fur-trimmed  Chinese  shoes,  and  three  pairs  of 
socks,  one  of  them  wadded.  I wear  long  trous- 
ers, also  wadded  and  at  least  an  Inch  thick,  and 
over  them  a long  gown  lined  with  lamb’s  wool, 
and  over  that  a kind  of  v/aistcoat,  black  with  an 
otter  skin  collar,  and  last  of  all  a blue  vest,  also 
lined  with  lamb’s  wool.  For  my  head  I have  a 
fur  cap  which  I wear  under  a big  black  Chinese 
hat  with  a turned-up  brim.  I shall  say  nothing  of 
various  other  vests,  nor  of  little  muffs  for  each 
hand.”  Thus  attired  Just,  tall  and  thin  though 
he  was,  must  have  been  literally  as  broad  as  he 
was  long! 

Under  the  tuition  of  Father  Metayer  he  began 
to  study  the  extremely  difficult  language  of  the 
country,  and  from  the  first  learned  with  wonder- 
ful facility.  “In  this  line  I am  making  quite  a 
reputation  among  the  Christians  of  Our  Lady 
of  the  Sun,”  he  wrote.  “Only  three  or  four  days 
after  my  arrival  Father  Metayer  asked  me  to 
bless  a marriage.  To  make  It  possible  for  me  to 
do  so  he  wrote  in  Chinese  the  questions  I had  to 
ask  the  bride  and  groom.  As  you  may  Imagine  I 
understood  what  I v/as  saying  about  as  well  as  If 
I had  been  talking  Hebrew,  but  succeeded  so  well 
that  the  people  took  me  for  an  old  missloner. 


100 


For  The  Faith 


Father  Metayer  had  to  bite  his  lips  to  keep  from 
laughing.” 

Shortly  after  this  Bishop  Verrolles  went  to 
Peking,  taking  Father  Métayer  with  him,  and 
Father  de  Bretenières  was  left  in  charge  of  the 
mission.  He  loved  his  work  too  intensely  to  be 
lonely  in  his  solitude.  At  last  he  was  leading  the 
life  of  a missionary  priest  and  his  heart  was 
supremely  content.  “I  am  very  happy  to  be  doing 
my  little  part,”  he  wrote.  “Until  now  I never 
had  a real  care  or  a real  responsibility.  I have 
them  now.  I am  making  an  apprenticeship,  and 
rejoice  to  find  that  things  go  fairly  well.  My 
life  is  uneventful  and  regular,  because  at  present 
there  is  very  little  sickness.  I talk  as  best  I can 
with  the  good  Manchurians  who  come  to  watch 
me  eat  and  to  ask  innumerable  questions  about 
France,  the  seminary  in  Paris  from  which  mis- 
sioners  come  to  them,  my  own  relatives,  etc.  I 
give  some  hours  each  day  to  my  little  exercises 
of  piety,  and  to  the  study  of  Chinese,  that  I may 
learn  both  to  speak  and  to  write  it.” 

Difiîcult  as  the  language  is,  in  less  than  three 
months  Just  was  able  easily  to  exercise  his  sacred 
ministry  and  to  talk  with  the  Christians.  Father 
Paik  Chen  Fou  (White  as  Snow)  was  the  name 
by  which  he  was  known.  In  the  modest  little 
church  left  to  his  care  he  faithfully  carried  out 
the  ceremonies  he  loved  so  well.  In  one  of  his 
interesting  letters  he  said,  “I  am  preparing  to 
keep  Holy  Week  with  all  possible  pomp,  but  my 
best  efforts  will  not  rival  the  splendor  of  the 


Just  de  Bretenières 


101 


services  in  Paris;  My  poor  little  chapel  is  only 
ten  feet  high,  and  I have  but  one  voice  in  my 
choir.  While  I say  Mass  I hear  rats  scurrying 
about  on  the  paper  ceiling  over  the  altar.  Truly 
it  is  all  as  poor  as  the  stable  of  Bethlehem,  but 
sometimes  on  feast  days  when  I chant  the  Gloria 
or  the  Credo  my  heart  swells  with  emotion  that 
has  in  it  far  more  of  joy  than  of  sadness.  . . . 

“If  I am  not  too  late  in  saying  so,  I would 
rather  have  a censor,  plain  but  of  good  quality, 
and  an  untrimmed  alb,  than  the  revolver  which 
you  were  asked  to  send  me.” 

In  another  letter,  written  to  Father  Lesserteur 
who  was  stationed  in  Tongking,  he  said,  “I  wish 
you  could  have  seen  me  pontificate  on  Easter 
Sunday.  I had  eight  acolytes,  all  as  proud  as 
peacocks  in  the  strangest  surplices  in  the  world. 
Unfortunately  the  music  was  not  quite  v/orthy 
of  the  occasion.  For  choir  I have  one  young 
Chinaman  who  by  dint  of  studying  plain  chant 
for  several  years  has  at  last  learned  to  sing  off 
the  note.  In  consequence,  the  Chinese  regard  him 
as  a prodigy.  When  I tried  to  chant  the  Haec 
Dies  and  the  verse  that  follows  the  unfortunate 
man  gave  me  a wrong  note  three  or  four  times. 
In  the  end  I improvised  as  best  I could.  But  it 
made  no  difference.  The  people  were  charmed, 
and  I assure  you  that  I was  supremely  happy.” 

In  his  hours  of  enforced  leisure  Father  Paik 
Chen  Foil  sometimes  hunted  in  the  mountains, 
and  when  he  had  unusually  good  luck  would  take 
his  game  to  Father  Beaulieu.  “He  is  my  nearest 


102 


For  The  Faith 


neighbor,”  Just  wrote.  “His  mission  is  only  five 
hours’  trip  across  the  mountains,  and  you  can 
imagine  how  great  is  the  temptation  to  go  to 
see  him  from  time  to  time.  We  drink  the  health 
of  our  absent  friends  in  a strange  beverage  which 
the  Chinese  have  the  audacity  to  call  ‘water  of 
life.’  ” 

To  travel  on  foot  was  considered  unfitting  the 
dignity  of  a priest  so  Father  de  Bretenières  had 
a wild  little  horse  to  carry  him  over  the  wretched 
mountain  roads.  He  wrote  laughingly  of  his  ex- 
periences: “I  know  now  what  it  means  to  pass 
over  the  ears  of  one’s  horse;  however  I have 
never  hurt  myself.  Little  Father  Dorie,  who 
came  here  two  days  ago,  had  a tumble  or  two 
on  his  way  but,  like  myself,  escaped  without 
breaking  anything.” 

While  Father  Dorie  was  at  Our  Lady  of  the 
Sun  he  fell  ill  with  chicken-pox,  and  for  two  or 
three  weeks  Just  nursed  him  with  brotherly  ten- 
derness. To  add  to  his  cares  brigands  made 
their  appearance  in  the  neighborhood.  “Having 
a good  gun  I slept  soundly  in  spite  of  them,”  he 
said.  “This  country  is  infested  with  thieves  and 
murderers.  The  authorities  beheaded  whole  bands 
of  them  in  Kai  Tchou  which  is  only  a few  miles 
from  here.  Not  long  ago  they  broke  into  the 
house  nearest  mine,  but  they  have  never  come 
nearer  than  that.”  Later,  some  of  the  outlaws 
did  enter  his  cabin.  After  a struggle  he  suc- 
ceeded in  throwing  them  out  — then  tranquilly 
went  back  to  bed. 


Just  de  Breteniêres 


103 


That  in  the  midst  of  his  strange  and  seem- 
ingly distracting  surroundings  Father  de  Breten- 
ières’s  spiritual  life  did  not  suffer  is  evidenced  by 
letters  written  to  his  confrères.  Every  hour  of 
every  day  he  tried  to  be  true  to  his  vocation  of 
priest  and  missioner  and  to  keep  his  soul  ever 
turned  towards  God  in  childlike  confidence,  and 
with  the  humility  which  — though  he  did  not  sus- 
pect it — had  always  been  one  of  his  marked  char- 
acteristics. The  following  lines,  taken  from  one 
of  his  letters,  give  a little  glimpse  of  his  soul: 
“Your  letter  of  last  September  gave  me  the 
greatest  of  pleasure.  I see  how  brightly  the  love 
of  God  burns  in  your  heart  and  feel  ashamed  of 
my  coldness  and  tepidity.  Pray  for  your  poor 
brother.  I,  on  my  part,  will  remember  you  in  my 
miserable  prayers.  Let  us  both  meditate  often 
•on  Our  Lord’s  passion.” 

At  first  Just  did  not  know  how  long  he  would 
be  obliged  to  remain  in  Manchuria,  but  soon 
Bishop  Berneux  of  Seoul  arranged  that  on  May 
fifth  the  four  new  missioners  should  be  met  on 
the  little  island  of  Melinto.  If  this  plan  failed, 
perhaps  a second  attempt  of  the  kind  would  be 
made  on  the  twenty-fifth  of  July,  but  only  after 
another  sort  of  ruse  had  been  tried:  a boat  from 
Korea  would  pretend  to  be  driven  by  an  ill  wind 
to  the  coast  of  Manchuria;  the  missioners  would 
steal  into  it,  and  concealed  in  its  hull  sail  for 
their  Promised  Land.  During  the  long  weeks  of 
waiting  for  winter  and  spring  to  pass  Father  de 
Breteniêres  left  the  issue  entirely  in  God’s  hands. 


104 


For  The  Faith 


Until  the  twenty-fourth  of  April  he  worked  hard 
at  Our  Lady  of  the  Sun,  leaving  it  then  for  Our 
Lady  of  the  Snow  where  he  was  to  meet  his  com- 
panions that  together  they  might  make  a first 
attempt  to  enter  Korea,  always  most  jealously 
guarded  against  all  strangers  and  Christians  in 
particular. 

In  a good-bye  letter  to  his  parents,  he  said, 
“This  is  the  last  letter  that  you  will  get  from  me 
for  a year.  I am  sorry  you  must  have  this  pri- 
vation, but  in  another  sense  I do  not  regret  it 
because,  like  every  other  suffering,  it  will  bring 
with  it  many  graces.  The  way  to  heaven  is  strewn 
with  thorns;  the  more  they  tear  our  feet  the 
better.  An  hour  of  suffering  here  is  worth  more 
than  a year  of  pleasure.”  As  for  himself,  a long 
novitiate  of  mortification,  of  prayer,  and  of  de- 
tachment had  prepared  him  for  the  suffering 
awaiting  him,  such  suffering  as  we  shrink  from 
thinking  of,  but  as  its  crown  such  glory  as  only 
the  “white-robed  army”  knows. 

The  last  news  from  Korea  had  been  of  a rev- 
olution in  the  palace  which  seemed  to  promise 
toleration  for  Christianity.  In  Thibet  and  Tong- 
king  conditions  were  menacing  and  Just  thought 
enviously  of  the  missioners  in  both  places  for 
whom  martyrdom  was  probable.  Regarding  them 
he  wrote  to  Father  Albrand,  “It  is  hard  on  the 
missions,  but  consoling  for  the  missioners,  who 
can  hope  for  martyrdom.  When  I think  of  them 
I am  tempted  to  complain  because  Our  Saviour 
did  not  call  me  to  so  great  a grace.  Of  course  I 


Just  de  Bretenières 


105 


am  unworthy  of  it,  but  have  not  some  great  sin- 
ners received  It?” 

He  little  knew  that  not  one  of  his  friends  was 
as  near  as  he  to  the  goal  of  his  heart’s  desire. 


106 


For  The  Faith 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

Korea  at  Last. 

On  the  twenty-sixth  day  of  April  Father  de 
Bretenières  joined  his  friends  at  Our  Lady  of  the 
Snow.  Their  final  preparations  made,  they  con- 
fided themselves  anew  to  our  Blessed  Mother’s 
care  and  set  forth  on  horseback  from  Tsouang 
Heu,  a village  on  the  Gulf  of  Korea.  There 
they  found  at  anchor  the  junk  which  was  to 
take  them  to  Melinto.  It  had  nothing  to  recom.- 
mend  it  except  the  fearlessness  and  honesty  of 
its  Chinese  crew,  and  a nice  little  deck  which 
the  missioners  could  enjoy  whenever  the  weather 
permitted.  They  had  to  share  a dirty,  ill-smelling 
room,  six  feet  square  and  very  low,  which  was 
reached  through  a hole  in  the  deck. 

A very  rough  sea  made  it  impossible  for  them 
to  sail  before  the  third  of  May.  For  two  days, 
then,  all  went  well;  on  the  third,  when  they  were 
far  from  the  mainland,  the  wind  changed  sud- 
denly and  a severe  storm  threatened,  obliging 
them  to  seek  shelter  at  Kio  Tao,  a small  island 
about  forty-five  miles  north  of  Melinto.  It  was 
inhabited  by  swarthy  savages  who  refused  to  have 
anything  to  do  with  the  strangers.  For  eight  days 
the  party  was  marooned  in  this  inhospitable  place, 
while  a storm  raged  which  threatened  utterly  to 


(See  Page  111) 


Just  de  Bretenières 


107 


destroy  the  junk,  and  so  terrified  the  natives  that 
they  shrieked  and  moaned  in  a way  horrible  to 
hear.  Day  and  night  the  sailors  v/orked,  almost 
in  despair,  and  the  missioners  prayed  unceasingly. 
Father  Huin  afterwards  declared  that  during 
those  days  he  did  more  penance  than  throughout 
the  whole  of  any  Lent  he  had  ever  passed.  Be- 
cause of  the  delay  the  junk’s  supply  of  provisions 
ran  low.  A few  handfuls  of  rice  and  two  or  three 
chickens  were  all  that  remained,  and  to  add  to 
the  sufferings  of  those  days  the  fathers  had  the 
anxiety  of  seeing  the  hour  fixed  for  their  arrival 
in  Melinto  come  closer  and  closer  with  no  cer- 
tainty that  they  would  be  able  to  leave  Kio  Tao 
in  time  to  meet  Bishop  Berneux’s  envoys.  They 
would  certainly  be  too  late  unless  the  junk  soon 
put  to  sea,  so  at  the  close  of  the  eighth  day 
the  missioners  forced  the  sailors  to  raise  anchor, 
although  the  storm  still  raged.  They  worked 
tirelessly,  helping  to  manage  the  junk  and  even 
directing  its  course,  but  after  hours  of  struggle 
they,  as  well  as  the  seamen,  were  only  too  glad 
to  creep  back  to  the  inhospitable  shelter  of  Kio 
Tao.  The  next  day  the  wind  was  more  favorable, 
but  the  sea  was  still  rough,  and  the  Chinamen 
refused  to  leave  the  island;  and  on  the  following 
day  they  began  to  complain  that  they  could  not 
work  unfed.  “Eat  all  that  is  left,”  Father  Beau- 
lieu told  them,  “but  if  after  your  breakfast  you 
do  not  try  once  more  to  reach  Melinto  we  will 
not  pay  you  half  as  much  as  we  promised.”  The 
men  ate  ravenously,  all  the  while  raising  objec- 


108 


For  The  Faith 


tions  to  doing  their  dangerous  work  afterward. 
“But  you  are  not  afraid  of  death,”  they  insisted: 
this  was  their  strongest  argument.  “All  men  fear 
death,”  Father  Huin  contradicted. 

A gift  of  money  at  length  induced  them  to 
raise  anchor  in  spite  of  an  angry  sea  and  a dense 
fog.  The  fog  soon  lifted,  and  all  v/ent  well  until 
noon  when  they  approached  a dangerous  cape 
which  it  was  necessary  to  double.  Fortunately 
the  wind  was  favorable  and  the  passage  was  at- 
tempted. The  junk  was  pitilessly  dashed  about 
by  roaring,  rushing  waters  which  again  and  again 
sw^ept  over  the  deck;  and  a great  gust  of  wind 
tore  the  sails  into  shreds  and  broke  one  of  the 
masts.  The  Chinamen  were  in  an  agony  of  ter- 
ror. Headed  by  the  pilot  they  beat  their  cymbals, 
struck  their  gongs,  shot  fire  crackers,  and  made 
many  prostrations,  all  to  placate  the  evil  genii 
whom  they  thought  to  be  hidden  in  the  rocks 
about  the  cape.  The  missioners  invoked  Our 
Lady  as  Star  of  the  Sea;  and  once  more  she  man- 
ifested her  motherly  care  over  the  valiant  little 
band.  The  passage  was  made  in  safety.  At 
noon,  on  May  twelfth,  the  missioners  reached 
Melinto. 

A fresh  disappointment  awaited  them:  no  boat 
v/as  there  to  meet  them.  A red  flag — the  signal 
agreed  upon — was  hung  out,  but  no  response  came 
from  any  of  the  junks  anchored  near  the  island. 
In  vain  the  priests  watched  and  waited  through- 
out the  long  day  and  the  night  that  followed,  and 
hour  after  hour  as  the  following  day  wore  on. 


Just  de  Bretenîêres 


109 


Towards  evening  five  mandarins  boarded  their 
boat  to  say  that  it  must  not  linger  in  the  harbor. 
The  pilot  proved  himself  equal  to  the  emergency. 
He  received  the  officials  most  cordially  and  was 
so  generous  with  his  nasty  Chinese  wine  that 
they  became  very  friendly,  entirely  forgot  the 
object  of  their  visit,  and  did  not  suspect  the  pres- 
ence of  the  living  contraband  hidden  in  the  hull. 

However,  the  missioners’  position  was  still  pre- 
carious. Their  red  flag  had  attracted  attention 
on  all  the  junks  nearby.  The  Chinese  boatmen 
knew  that  it  indicated  the  presence  of  strangers — 
and  to  a Chinaman  a stranger  is  at  least  under 
suspicion.  For  any  Koreans  to  have  learned  as 
much  would  have  further  imperiled  the  already 
uncertain  issue  of  the  venture. 

Day  after  day  the  fathers  waited  in  ever  deep- 
ening anxiety.  The  pilot  was  determined  to  start 
homeward  on  May  twentieth,  and  if  their  friends 
did  not  come  before  that  time  the  missioners 
would  be  obliged  to  return  with  him,  making  use- 
less all  their  efforts,  all  that  they  had  suffered, 
all  the  dangers  through  which  they  had  passed. 
They  would  have  to  go  back  to  Leao  Tong 
which  they  thought  to  have  quitted  forever.  But, 
at  last,  a small  boat  approached  theirs  under 
cover  of  darkness,  and  six  Koreans,  dressed  in 
white,  clambered  aboard.  They  made  the  Sign 
of  the  Cross  and  spoke  Bishop  Berneux’s  name 
to  give  the  missioners  to  understand  that  they 
were  to  be  trusted,  and  offered  to  take  them  and 
their  baggage  to  the  continent — the  sooner  the 


110 


For  The  Faith 


better.  At  first  the  priests  were  overjoyed,  but 
happily,  before  it  was  too  late.  It  occurred  to 
them  to  ask  the  hurried  Koreans  if  they  could 
show  any  letter  to  prove  that  they  had  been  sent 
by  the  Bishop,  and  if  they  had  with  them  the 
mourning  garments  which  he  had  promised  to 
send,  as  furnishing  the  best  possible  disguise. 
The  men  had  neither;  they  were  smugglers  who 
had  somehow  learned  of  the  coming  of  priests 
from  Europe. 

The  missloners  did  not  know  what  to  do.  To 
place  themselves  at  the  mercy  of  such  men  was 
to  risk  the  loss  of  their  trunks,  even  of  their 
lives;  on  the  other  hand,  to  return  to  China 
meant  failure  to  reach  posts  where  they  were 
sorely  needed,  and  for  which.  In  their  zeal,  they 
longed  with  all  their  hearts.  In  their  distress 
they  begged  those  among  the  smugglers  who  were 
Christians  to  wait  until  the  twentieth,  the  day 
on  which  their  Chinese  pilot  was  determined  to 
start  homeward.  They  hoped  that  in  the  mean- 
time their  friends  would  come. — ^And  how  they 
prayed! 

During  the  night  of  the  eighteenth  they  were 
rudely  awakened  by  the  smugglers,  who  had  come 
to  say  that  the  missloners  must  come  with  them 
at  once  or  not  at  all,  as  they  were  in  a hurry  to 
return.  After  much  persuasion  the  m.en  agreed 
to  wait  until  the  following  evening.  As  soon  as 
day  dawned  the  four  priests  landed  and  made  a 
tour  of  the  little  Island  to  see  If  they  could  find 
shelter  there.  It  was  a desert.  To  prevent  the 


Ill 


Just  de  Bretenîères 

Chinese  from  settling  on  it  the  Korean  custom- 
house officials  had  destroyed  all  vegetation. 

That  long,  anxious  day  crept  by,  and  no  help 
came.  It  was  necessary  to  decide  what  should 
be  done  for  this  time  the  smugglers  really  in- 
tended to  go.  The  missioners  were  divided  as 
to  their  wiser  course.  Two  of  them  thought  that 
it  would  be  far  better  to  return;  the  other  two 
had  resolved  to  abandon  themselves  to  the  mercy 
of  the  smugglers,  desperate  men  though  they 
were.  All  were  determined  to  make  as  many  de- 
lays as  possible,  to  hope  to  the  last  for  Bishop 
Berneux’s  men,  to  pray  unceasingly,  and  to  leave 
the  outcome  in  God’s  hands.  At  the  eleventh 
hour  their  confidence  was  rewarded.  The  long  ex- 
pected boat  arrived  ! The  fathers  hurriedly  v/rote 
a few  lines  to  Bishop  Verrolles  and  to  Father 
Albrand  and  confided  the  letters  to  the  Chinese 
pilot.  Half  an  hour  afterward  they  were  on  their 
way  to  Korea,  softly  singing  the  Te  Deum. 

Soon  they  donned  the  mourning  garments  sent 
by  the  Bishop,  which  would  be  a great  safeguard, 
as  Korean  custom  forbade  anyone  to  look  into 
the  facës  of  those  wearing  them.  The  clothes 
were  peculiar  and  very  ugly.  The  wide  trousers 
were  made  of  a coarse,  dark  material  not  unlike 
sacking  and  fastened  at  the  knee  with  strange 
garters.  An  ample  mantle  of  the  same  cloth  fell 
from  the  shoulders.  Straw  sandals  protected,  or 
rather,  were  supposed  to  protect  the  feet.  The 
hair  was  gathered  on  top  of  the  head,  rolled 
around  and  round,  and  made  to  stand  upright 


112 


For  The  Faith 


by  a band  woven  of  horsehair.  Over  this  coiffure 
was  worn  an  immense  cone-shaped  hat,  eighteen 
inches  high  and  a yard  and  a half  in  diameter. 
The  brim  reached  to  the  elbows,  and  the  whole 
looked  like  the  roof  of  a pigeon  house.  A fan, 
made  of  a piece  of  cloth  attached  to  two  small 
sticks,  completed  the  toilet.  It  was  used  to  hide 
the  face  from  anyone  rude  enough  to  glance  at  it. 

But  the  missioners’  troubles  were  not  yet  at  an 
end.  The  boat  was  small  and  made  poor  time — 
hardly  fifteen  miles  in  twenty-four  hours.  It 
rained,  rained,  rained,  hour  after  hour,  and  they 
were  obliged  to  seek  shelter  in  a room  under  a 
deck  which,  being  made  of  straw,  allowed  the 
water  to  trickle  through  it.  The  room  was  so 
very  small — two  yards  long,  one  wide,  and  four 
feet  high — that  they  could  neither  stand  nor  sit, 
but  were  obliged  to  crouch  down,  one  almost  on 
top  of  the  other.  It  was  infested  with  vermin; 
and  as  it  served  as  chimney  for  the  fire  in  the 
hull  was  always  full  of  smoke.  Of  those  days 
Father  Huin  wrote,  “We  hardly  tasted  food. 
We  could  get  only  mouldy  bread  a month  old, 
rancid  rice,  and  spoiled  fish.  One  day  Father  de 
Bretenières  and  I carefully  cleaned  a dirty  sauce- 
pan with  our  portion  of  water;  then,  having 
neither  salt  nor  fresh  water,  we  used  salt-water 
to  cook  our  rice,  imagining  that  it  would  be  pala- 
table. I cannot  tell  you  how  nasty  it  was!  No 
one  could  eat  more  than  a few  mouthfuls.  Dur- 
ing the  remaining  eight  days  of  our  journey  we 
allowed  the  sailors  to  cook  our  meals  and  ate 


Just  de  Bretenîères 


113 


them  when  we  could.  But  not  one  of  us  fell  ill.” 
With  the  cheerfulness  which  characterized  each 
one  of  the  brave  little  band  Father  Dorie  said, 
“In  spite  of  our  sufferings  we  were  happy,  for 
we  were  Koreans  at  last!” 

It  was  not  these  hardships  alone  that  tried 
the  patience' of  the  missioners.  Delays  had  met 
them  at  every  stage  of  their  journey  and  did  not 
spare  them  towards  its  close.  They  were  to  have 
reached  Seoul  in  twenty-four  hours;  instead,  on 
their  sixth  day  at  sea  they  were  still  going  farther 
and  farther  from  land.  Bishop  Berneux  had  in- 
structed the  sailors  to  bring  their  passengers  di- 
rectly to  the  capital,  but  on  approaching  it  they 
had  learned  that  two  vessels,  suspected  of  having 
had  dealings  with  the  Chinese,  had  been  care- 
fully searched.  Greatly  alarmed,  not  for  them- 
selves alone  but  for  their  families,  they  made 
what  haste  they  could  to  reach  their  own  neigh- 
borhood, much  farther  north,  and  in  the  heart 
of  the  most  Christian  part  of  Korea.  There  they 
would  be  among  friends  on  landing  their  pas- 
sengers. 

It  was  not  until  the  evening  of  May  twenty- 
seventh,  1865,  that  the  fathers  touched  Korean 
soil,  after  an  often  interrupted  journey  of  ten 
months.  They  disembarked  in  a swamp  not  far 
from  Nai  Po,  a village  almost  entirely  Chris- 
tian. In  some  unaccountable  way  everyone  had 
learned  that  four  more  Catholic  missioners  were 
attempting  to  enter  the  country;  nevertheless  the 
faithful  of  Nai  Po  were  astonished  to  see  them. 


114 


For  The  Faith 


having  had  no  intimation  where  they  would  land. 
Already  tried  by  persecution  and  very  timid,  they 
feared  that  the  presence  of  the  missioners  would 
draw  trouble  upon  them,  and  everyone  but  the 
catechist  hid  in  his  own  house.  In  spite  of  his 
terror  that  good  man  met  them  and  offered  them 
shelter.  Father  Huin  described  their  arrival  as 
follows:  “Out  of  respect  for  our  mourning  the 
pagans  whom  we  met  on  our  way  to  the  catechist’s 
house  stepped  aside  to  allow  us  to  pass  and  dared 
not  look  into  our  faces.  We,  in  our  joy,  could  not 
help  laughing  behind  our  veils.  After  fifteen  min- 
utes’ walk  we  were  taken  into  a little  hut.  Its 
mistress  was  grinding  barley  for  her  large  family. 
Watching  her  turn  the  grindstone,  as  mothers  did 
in  the  days  of  the  patriarchs,  I was  reminded  of 
Rachel  and  the  other  strong  women  of  the  old 
days.  Conditions  in  this  country  are  in  every  way 
as  primitive  as  in  the  days  of  Abraham  or  Jacob. 

“As  for  ourselves,  we  ate  on  mats  in  that  poor 
little  cabin  and  looked  at  one  another  smiling, 
and  saying  again  and  again,  ‘Now  we  are  safe 
and  happy!’  Our  good  hosts  prepared  our  sup- 
per with  utmost  care,  and  gave  us  pipes  to  smoke 
while  we  waited  for  it.  We  had  rice  and  two 
chickens  roasted  à la  Korean.  We  preferred 
water  to  the  drink  used  by  the  natives.  You  may 
be  sure  that  we  ate  heartily,  having  been  hungry 
for  days  and  knowing  that  at  last  we  and  our 
boatmen  were  out  of  danger.” 

After  the  meal  visits  from  the  Christains  be- 
gan; but  soon  the  catechist,  afraid  that  so  many 


(A  Typical  Village  in  Korea) 


Just  de  Bretenières 


lis 


people  seen  coming  to  his  house  would  arouse 
suspicion,  suggested  that  the  priests  would  go  to 
a cabin,  used  as  a chapel,  which  was  away  from 
the  heart  of  the  village.  Under  cover  of  dark- 
ness their  baggage  was  transferred  and  they  fol- 
lowed it;  and  there  they  passed  their  first  night 
in  Korea. 

The  priests  were  disappointed  to  learn  how 
far  they  were  from  the  capital,  and  at  once  be- 
gan to  make  arrangements  to  reach  it.  At  the 
moment  Bishop  Daveluy,  coadjutor  of  Bishop 
Berneux,  chanced  to  be  in  the  neighborhood,  and 
hearing  of  the  arrival  of  the  missioners  hastened 
to  Nai  Po.  He  welcomed  and  encouraged  them; 
and  that  they  might  more  easily  escape  observa^ 
tion  sent  Father  de  Bretenières  alone  to  Seoul 
and  took  the  others  with  him  to  a larger  and 
safer  village. 

In  his  mourning  dress,  head  and  face  well 
hidden  and  feet  half  covered  by  sandals  much 
too  small.  Father  de  Bretenières  set  forth  for  the 
capital.  He  reached  it  after  four  days’  travel. 
The  country  through  which  he  passed  during  the 
first  two  days  was  barren  and  unattractive;  the 
hills  were  low,  the  trees  far  apart  and  stunted, 
and  only  here  and  there  had  rice  or  barley  been 
planted  in  fields,  where  but  few  men  labored  and 
with  the  most  primitive  implements.  One  inter- 
esting monument  he  passed:  the  simple  tomb 
of  Andrew  Kim,  a native  priest  who  had  been 
martyred. 

On  the  third  day  he  reached  a mountainous 


116 


For  The  Faith 


region,  well  wooded,  with  fertile  fields  which 
were  being  diligently  tilled.  He  crossed  the  Han 
Yang  river  and  a stretch  of  sand  some  miles  in 
width — the  arena  which  his  own  blood  was  soon 
to  water.  The  place  showed  traces  of  many  an 
execution  and  must  have  filled  his  mind  with 
grave,  sweet  thoughts  and  made  his  heart  beat 
high  with  hope  of  the  palm  he  coveted. 

He  entered  Seoul  by  its  southern  gate,  a broad 
one,  made  of  pinkish  v/hite  stones  of  regular  size. 
The  top  has  two  stories  and  Chinese  cornices  with 
turn-up  edges.  The  city  was  poor  and  ugly.  Nar- 
row streets  were  flanked  by  mud  huts,  all  of  them 
low  and  covered  with  straw  or  rushes,  standing 
close  together  and  at  every  angle,  and  for  back- 
ground a chaos  of  rugged  mountains  whose  high 
peaks  were  covered  with  pines.  Soon  after  his 
arrival  Father  de  Bretenières  WTOte  to  the  Abbé 
Gautrelet,  “Here  I am  at  last  in  the  capital  of 
Korea,  the  ‘city  of  delights.’  Do  not  be  dazzled 
by  its  high-sounding  name  ! Everything  in  this 
world  is  relative,  and  the  delights  of  Korea  would 
not  enchant  a European.  Picture  to  yourself  an 
immense  number  of  mud  huts,  crowded  one  on 
top  of  another,  and  less  prepossessing  in  appear- 
ance than  the  most  miserable  shacks  in  Bresse; 
and  by  way  of  streets,  passages  so  narrow  that 
two  persons  go  by  each  other  with  difficulty. 
These  streets  are  the  city  drains  and  are  always 
in  horrible  condition.  I leave  you  to  imagine 
how  unpleasant  walking  is  in  good  weather,  and 
how  much  worse  when  it  rains.  Fortunately  new 


Just  de  Bretenières 


117 


shoes  cost  only  a few  pennies,  being  a kind  of 
sandal  made  of  straw.  Fashion  requires  them  to 
be  shorter  than  the  feet.  They  are  not  easy  to 
walk  in,  until  one  becomes  accustomed  to  them. 
When  we  landed  the  first  thing  I did  was  to  fall 
full  length,  after  the  example  of  William  the 
Conqueror;  but  I was  not  hurt,  as  the  beach  is 
covered  with  mud.” 

Bishop  Berneux,  whom  Father  de  Bretenières 
joined  at  Seoul,  was  an  apostle  worthy  of  the 
early  ages  of  the  Church;  a hero,  a saint  grown 
old  in  the  Master’s  service.  He  looked  tall  even 
sitting,  tailor-fashion,  on  the  mat  which  was  the 
only  vestige  of  furniture  in  his  room.  He  was 
thin  to  the  point  of  emaciation;  his  shoulders 
were  bent  with  age;  his  face,  covered  by  a white 
beard,  was  the  gentlest  and  kindliest  in  the  world. 
He  had  known  exhausting  labor,  heavy  cares, 
and  untold  suffering  and  sorrow,  but  was  still 
full  of  energy  and  as  light-hearted  as  a child. 
Ordered  to  the  perilous  mission  of  Tongking 
when  he  was  young,  he  had  written,  “I  am  will- 
ing for  anything  that  is  for  God’s  greater  glory.” 
He  landed  only  to  be  scourged  so  cruelly  that  he 
was  scarred  as  long  as  he  lived,  and  to  be  cast 
into  a prison  which  was  exchanged  in  time  for  a 
bamboo  cage.  After  twenty-three  months  of  soli- 
tary confinement  he  was  condemned  to  death,  but 
a French  naval  officer  obtained  his  pardon,  and 
the  martyr’s  palm  escaped  his  grasp.  He  was  to 
win  it  only  after  many  years  of  toil  and  suffering. 

Free,  but  in  shattered  health,  he  profited  by 


118 


For  The  Faith 


what  was  supposed  to  be  a rest  to  learn  Chinese, 
and  was  soon  able  to  undertake  the  care  of  an 
immense  territory.  There  were  few  years  in 
which  he  did  not  travel  more  than  two  thousand 
miles  afoot  or  on  horseback,  over  poor  roads, 
or  in  dirty,  slow-going  boats.  And  still  his  frail 
body,  ill-fed  and  abused  in  a hundred  ways,  was 
always  able  for  the  work  imposed  upon  it.  He 
himself  said,  ‘‘I  am  astonished  at  the  strength 
the  good  God  gives  me.  Without  being  robust 
I go  unceasingly  from  one  end  to  the  other  of  our 
mission,  in  cold  and  heat,  in  rain  and  snow,  al- 
ways half  nourished  and  poorly  lodged.  But  not 
once  have  I been  ill  ! When  I am  quite  worn  out 
I rest  for  two  days  and  then  begin  again  my 
vagabond  life,  a thousand  times  happier  than  I 
ever  was  before  I came  to  the  mission.”  At  last 
he  fell  ill  with  typhoid  fever,  but  slowly  recov- 
ered; with  cholera,  and  recovered  again. 

In  time  the  Holy  Father  laid  the  burden  of 
the  episcopacy  on  his  alreadybent  shoulders.  He 
was  consecrated  Bishop,  with  Korea  for  his  field 
of  labor.  An  illness  which  lasted  for  eight  months 
made  it  impossible  for  him  to  go  promptly  to  his 
diocese,  and  when  he  reached  it  difficulties  in- 
numerable beset  him.  When  Father  de  Breten- 
ières  reached  Seoul  he  had  worked  tirelessly  in 
Korea  for  ten  years,  constantly  in  hiding,  always 
in  danger.  Describing  his  life  the  Bishop  wrote 
to  a friend,  “The  axe  is  always  suspended  over 
our  heads,  and  the  least  incident  may  inaugurate 
a bloody  persecution.  Placed  as  we  are,  it  is  im- 


Just  de  Bretenières 


119 


possible  to  have  any  chapels  or  regular  meeting 
places  for  our  Christians.  On  Sunday  they  as- 
semble to  the  number  of  ten  or  twelve,  sometimes 
in  one  house,  sometimes  In  another,  always  as 
secretly  as  possible  that  they  may  escape  the  ob- 
servation of  the  pagans.  They  recite  in  a low 
tone  certain  prayers  which  I have  prescribed  and 
listen  to  an  explanation  of  the  Gospel  of  the 
Sunday.  The  remainder  of  the  day  Is  spent  in 
saying  the  Rosary,  studying  catechism,  and  teach- 
ing It  to  the  little  ones.  To  this  Is  the  sancti- 
fication of  the  Sunday  reduced  In  Korea,  but 
to  allow  the  faithful  to  assist  at  Mass  would  be 
rash  Indeed. 

“In  September  I begin  the  yearly  ‘missions’  In 
Seoul,  which  continue  without  Interruption  for  six 
weeks.  Only  once  a year  do  the  people  see  a 
missioner,  but  their  reverence  for  all  priests  Is 
very  touching.  The  catechists  make  all  arrange- 
ments as  to  the  houses  to  which  I am  to  go. 
When  I reach  one  I am  put  in  possession  of  a 
little  room,  with  a Crucifix  and  a picture  of  Our 
Lady  as  Its  only  ornaments,  where  I find  from 
thirty  to  forty  Christians  awaiting  me.  Examin- 
ing every  one  In  catechism — the  old  as  well  as 
the  children — preparing  all  for  the  Sacraments, 
hearing  confessions,  and  administering  Baptism 
and  Extreme  Unction  occupies  the  whole  day  and 
part  of  the  night.  This  Is  the  only  time  In  the 
year  that  the  people  can  receive  the  Sacraments 
for  which  they  verily  hunger  and  thirst. 

“The  next  morning  I say  Mass  at  two  o’clock. 


120 


For  The  Faith 


and  all  receive  Holy  Communion.  I preach  a 
little  sermon  on  the  necessity  and  means  of  per- 
severance, and  then  go  to  another  house  where  a 
second  group  awaits  me,  and  carry  out  the  same 
programme  there.  I live  thus  for  forty  days 
until  I am  so  weary  that  more  than  once  I have 
fallen  asleep  with  one  sock  in  my  hand  and  the 
other  still  on  my  foot. 

“Besides  Seoul  I care  for  sixty  villages.  I give 
the  same  exercises  in  each  one  every  year,  with 
the  added  labor  of  traveling  from  one  to  another, 
across  the  mountains,  through  rain  and  snow,  in 
uncomfortable  stockings  and  straw  sandles  which 
soak  up  water  like  sponges.  After  working  in 
this  way  for  eight  months  each  of  us,  worn  out, 
goes  home  and  passes  three  months  quietly  in 
prayer  and  study  before  beginning  again  the  cir- 
cuit of  his  mission.” 

One  of  Bishop  Berneux’s  associates  added  to 
this  letter  the  following  lines:  “His' Lordship 
has  not  told  you  all.  He  has  not  said,  for  in- 
stance, that  he  suffers  constantly  from  a painful 
disease,  and  lives  on  turnip  greens  and  a little 
rice;  that  he  often  works  twenty-two  hours  out 
of  the  twenty-four,  and  considers  four  hours  of 
rest,  which  is  the  most  he  ever  takes,  as  a shock- 
ing indulgence.” 

It  was  in  the  school  of  such  a master  that 
Father  de  Bretenières  was  about  to  be  instructed 
in  the  work  for  which  he  had  come  so  far. 


Just  de  Bretenières 


121 


CHAPTER  IX. 

Life  in  Korea. 

Bishop  Berneux  had  begun  to  despair  of  the 
coming  of  his  new  priests  before  Father  de  Bre- 
tenières knocked  at  the  door  of  his  humble  little 
house.  He  received  him  with  utmost  kindness, 
and  at  once  sent  porters  with  sedan  chairs  for 
Fathers  Dorie  and  Beaulieu,  and  dispatched  a 
letter  directing  Father  Huin  to  remain  with 
Bishop  Daveluy.  The  three  young  priests  spent 
two  weeks  with  their  Bishop,  happy  weeks  of  rest, 
and  spiritual  refreshment,  and  preparation  for 
the  work  and  trials  and  loneliness  awaiting  them; 
then.  Father  Dorie  and  Father  Beaulieu  went  to 
missions  in  country  places,  and  Father  de  Bre- 
tenières, remaining  in  Seoul,  was  lodged  in  the 
house  of  a catechist  whose  little  son,  Paul  Hpi, 
taught  him  the  Korean  language. 

Just  wrote  happily,  “I  am  living  with  a family 
of  good  Christians,  and  have  for  my  own  a room 
which  Korean  custom  does  not  permit  strangers 
to  enter.  It  is  the  nicest  in  the  house,  but  as  you 
may  imagine  neither  large  nor  elegantly  furn- 
ished. It  is  twelve  feet  square,  and  between  four 
and  five  feet  high.  The  doorway  is  low  and 
narrow.  The  ground  serves  for  chair  and  table, 
and  at  night  I lay  my  head  on  a piece  of  wood 


122 


For  The  Faith 


and  am  m bed.  I exercise  my  long  legs  by  walk- 
ing back  and  forth,  back  and  forth,  like  a squir- 
rel in  a cage,  and  imagine  that  I am  making 
delightful  excursions  in  the  mountains.  But  how 
careful  of  my  head  I have  to  bel  Fortunately 
my  bushy  hair  warns  me  in  time  when  I am  get- 
ting too  near  the  ceiling. 

“The  national  costum.e  for  indoor  wear  is 
very  simple,  consisting  of  wide  trousers  and  a 
short  jacket.  Whenever  a missioner  goes  into 
the  streets  he  w^ars  his  mourning  clothes.  The 
food  is  not  very  appetizing,  and  is  insufficient  in 
quantity.  A man’s  strength  fails  under  a diet  of 
a small  portion  of  rice  and  barley  mixed  with 
small  black  beans,  to  which  is  added,  according 
to  the  season,  herbs  or  wild  roots  gathered  in 
the  mountains.  The  mixture  is  cooked  without 
salt.  The  less  said  of  the  meat  the  better.  It  is 
forbidden  to  kill  calves  or  young  cows,  and  we 
eat  only  animals  too  old  to  be  of  use  in  carrying 
loads.  Dogs  are  in  great  demand  as  food.  The 
pigs  are  small,  and  their  flesh  is  used  only  on 
gala  days.” 

Just’s  apostolate  began  by  long  weeks  of  soli- 
tude. Until  this  time  his  hardships  and  sufferings 
had  been  lightened  by  the  companionship  of  de- 
voted friends;  now  he  was  alone  with  strangers 
who  spoke  a language  which  he  stigmatized  as 
“diabolic.”  His  own  view  of  the  hardness  of  his 
lot  is  given  in  a letter  to  one  of  his  friends.  “I 
lead  the  happiest  life  imaginable,”  he  wrote.  “I 
am  alone  in  a little  room  in  the  interior  of  a 


Just  de  Bretenières 


123 


catechist’s  house  and  never  go  out  except  at 
night.  The  solitude  is  good  for  me  after  the 
dissipation  of  a long  year’s  journeying.  I am 
tasting  once  more  the  tranquillity  of  the  semi- 
nary, and  realize  what  a grace  it  is  to  have  these 
months  of  quiet.  Later,  I shall  be  obliged  to 
unite  Martha’s  life  to  Mary’s.” 

Prayer,  study,  and  visits  from  Christians  eager 
•to  teach  him  their  language  filled  his  hours  of 
seclusion.  Accustomed  from  childhood  to  waste 
no  time  he  wasted  none  then.  Apart  from  his 
prayers  the  study  of  the  language  was  his  chief 
occupation.  “It  is  much  more  difficult  than  Chi- 
nese,” he  wrote.  “It  will  require  at  least  six 
months’  study  to  be  able  to  preach  and  to  hear 
confessions.  From  morning  until  night  I stam- 
mer Korean  with  my  little  professor  and  the  peo- 
ple who  come  to  see  me.  I have  been  doing  so 
for  a month,  but  know  very  little.  To  give  you 
an  idea  of  the  difficulty  of  the  language  it  will 
be  enough  to  tell  you  that  every  verb  has  from 
forty  to  fifty  conjugations,  whose  use  is  regulated 
by  rules  so  complicated  that  many  of  the  natives 
do  not  know  them  all,  and  the  oldest  missioners 
have  but  an  imperfect  knov/ledge  of  them.”  The 
punctuation  presents  difficulties  which  can  be 
overcome  only  by  long  patient  study  and  prac- 
tice. A word  written  in  one  way  is  pronounced 
in  another;  for  instance,  ha-keit-sa/>-ni-ta  changes 
its  p into  m when  it  is  spoken  and  becomes  ha- 
keit-sam-ni-ta. 

Father  de  Bretenières  studied  with  all  dili- 


124 


For  The  Faith 


gence,  stimulated  to  extraordinary  effort  by  his 
desire  to  be  able  to  help  the  overworked  older 
priests.  His  only  relaxation  during  those  weeks 
was  to  slip  out  under  cover  of  darkness  and  go 
to  see  Bishop  Berneux,  whom  months  of  low  fever 
had  so  weakened  that  he  had  to  be  carried  to  the 
sick  and  could  not  administer  baptism  without 
pausing  several  times  to  rest.  His  coadjutor, 
Bishop  Daveluy,  was  able  to  do  his  work  only 
with  the  help  of  Korean  medicines,  and  of  the 
four  remaining  missioners  three  were  in  wretched 
health.  “But  no  one  complains,”  Father  de  Bre- 
tenières  wrote  admiringly.  “On  the  contrary  all 
are  happy,  because  God  is  signally  blessing  their 
labors.  Many  envy  the  lot  of  missioners  in 
Korea;  if  they  knew  more  about  it  their  envy 
would  grow.  Fortunate,  indeed,  are  those  whom 
Our  Lord  calls  to  this  little  corner  of  His  vine- 
yard. If  I were  less  lax  in  responding  to  His 
grace  it  would  not  take  me  long  to  become  holy 
here.” 

Towards  the  close  of  the  same  letter  he  said, 
“I  have  not  yet  heard  or  seen  very  much,  but 
what  has  come  under  my  notice  fills  me  with 
joy  and  admiration.  My  associates  are  models 
of  humility,  sweetness,  and  self-abnegation.  I 
have  but  one  ambition:  to  walk  in  their  foot- 
steps, instead  of  being  a failure  in  the  midst  of 
souls  sanctified  by  years  of  labor  in  this  land  of 
martyrs.  I could  never  say  how  happy  I am  to 
see  something  of  a man  like  our  Bishop.  To  de- 
scribe him  in  one  word,  he  is  a second  St.  John 


Just  de  Bretenières 


125 


of  the  Cross.  He  despises  suffering,  privations, 
sickness,  contradictions;  in  the  midst  of  them  all 
he  is  always  joyous,  always  gay.” 

Numbers  of  extraordinary  conversions  encour- 
aged the  superhuman  efforts  of  the  missioners. 
In  one  of  his  letters  Bishop  Berneux  left  a rec- 
ord of  some  cases,  of  which  the  following  are 
typical:  “A  Catholic  book  fell  into  the  hands  of 
an  old  man  who  had  already  heard  something  of 
the  teachings  of  Christianity,  and  it  opened  his 
eyes  to  the  truth.  He  held  an  exalted  public  posi- 
tion whose  duties  were  incompatible  with  those  of 
a Christian,  and  at  once  he  resigned  it.  Finding 
it  well  nigh  impossible,  even  in  his  own  family 
and  among  his  friends,  to  be  true  to  his  new- 
found Faith,  he  pretended  to  be  insane,  would 
speak  to  no  one,  and  lived  almost  entirely  alone. 
For  several  years  he  persevered  in  this  difficult 
manner  of  life  without  being  able  to  receive  bap- 
tism, for  his  sons,  suspecting  the  truth,  would 
allow  no  stranger  to  approach  him.  I sent  a cate- 
chist to  his  house,  hoping  that  he  would  find  a 
way  to  see  him.  He  succeeded  at  last  and  bap- 
tized the  old  man,  who  died  a few  weeks  later. 

“A  young  girl,  who  longed  to  become  a Chris- 
tian, was  given  in  marriage  to  a pagan.  In  her 
new  home  she  said  many  prayers  when  she  was 
alone;  but  in  spite  of  her  efforts  to  do  so  unob- 
served her  husband’s  mother  and  sister  saw  her 
on  her  knees  more  than  once,  at  night  and  in  the 
day-time;  and  her  sweetness,  patience,  and  obedi- 
ence were  too  marked  to  pass  unnoticed.  One 


126 


For  The  Faith 


day  the  sîster-în-law  said  to  her,  Tou  have  a 
secret  which  you  are  trying  to  hide  from  us.’ 
‘I,  a secret!  What  could  it  be?’  the  bride  re- 
plied, laughingly.  ‘Laugh  as  you  will,  you  have 
a secret,  and  it  makes  you  different  from  the  rest 
of  us,’  the  other  insisted.  Certain  that  she  could 
trust  her  sister  the  bride  at  last  acknowledged 
that  she  had  a priceless  secret.  ‘I  will  tell  it  to 
you.’  she  said.  ‘I  have  the  happiness  of  know- 
ing and  adoring  the  one  true  God.  It  was  to 
Him  that  I was  praying  when  you  surprised  me 
on  my  knees  in  the  -middle  of  the  night.  I dare 
neither  lie,  nor  disobey,  nor  be  angry,  because 
God’s  law  forbids  all  these  things,  and  I am  trying 
to  keep  it  and  to  win  heaven.’  Interested  and 
edified,  the  sister-in-law  begged  to  be  told  about 
the  true  God.  The  light  of  faith  was  given  her, 
too,  and  she  became  very  fervent.  The  intimacy 
of  the  two  young  women  was  remarked  in  the 
household,  as  was  the  great  change  which  had 
been  worked  in  the  but  lately  ill-tempered  daugh- 
ter of  the  house.  Her  mother  insisted  on  an  ex- 
planation and  on  receiving  it  she  followed  in  her 
child’s  footsteps.  The  aged  grandmother  alone 
remained,  and  soon  she,  too,  was  told,  and  she, 
too,  responded  eagerly  to  grace.  The  four  wo- 
men were  very  happy  in  their  new-found  Faith 
and  followed  all  they  knew  of  its  teachings,  with- 
out allowing  the  men  of  the  household  to  suspect 
what  they  were  doing.  The  one  obstacle  to  their 
baptism  was  the  superstitious  practices  in  which 
they  were  forced  to  participate.  To  escape  from 


Her  First  Quarter  A Future  Orator  Smiling  A Welcome 


Just  de  Bretenières 


127 


them  it  would  have  been  necessary  to  say  that 
they  were  Christians,  which  would  inevitably  have 
resulted  in  ill-treatment  and  such  close  surveil- 
lance that  it  would  have  become  impossible  for 
them  to  perform  any  religious  exercise.  They 
decided  among  themselves  that  the  mother  and 
the  grandmother  should  have  nothing  further  to 
do  with  preparing  sacrifices  for  the  idols,  so  that 
they  might  be  baptised.  The  two  younger  women 
would  attend  to  all  such  things,  praying  to  be 
delivered  from  the  necessity. 

“I  could  tell  you  of  a thousand  such  cases,  and 
how  they  would  make  you  love  my  dear  Korea, 
and  how  you  would  pray  for  us  ! Surely  God  has 
His  merciful  designs  over  this  mission!” 

At  the  time  of  which  the  Bishop  spoke  the 
greater  number  of  the  mandarins  ignored  the 
Christians;  a few  mistreated  them,  and  the  re- 
sult was  a marked  increase  of  fervor  among  the 
persecuted.  In  some  districts  there  was  entire 
liberty,  and  the  faithful  wore  little  crosses  on 
their  breasts  and  met  openly  on  Sunday.  In  lo- 
calities where  the  laws  against  Christianity  were 
severe  and  the  authorities  watchful  the  spread 
of  the  Faith  was  necessarily  slow.  Everywhere 
the  missioners’  work  was  overwhelming. 

A little  later,  at  the  moment  in  which  Father 
de  Bretenières  and  his  companions  reached  Korea, 
the  movement  towards  Christianity  had  somehow 
gained  a marked  impetus,  and  conversions  were 
becoming  more  and  more  frequent.  In  the  north, 
where  the  Gospel  was  only  beginning  to  be 


128 


For  The  Faith 


preached,  there  were  many  catechumens  so  eager 
for  baptism  that  they  did  not  wait  for  the  visit 
of  a missioner,  but  went  in  bands  to  Seoul,  even 
in  harvest  time.  Their  one  thought  was  to  be- 
come Christians.  Lacking  teachers,  they  taught 
one  another  as  best  they  could. 

Two  young  men,  cousins,  having  been  instructed 
by  a catechist,  the  more  fervent  said,  “Let  us  not 
delay  an  hour,  but  go  at  once  to  Seoul  to  be  bap- 
tised by  the  great  Bishop.”  His  cousin  objected, 
“But  our  rice  will  die  if  we  go  now.”  “Do  you, 
then,  care  more  for  your  rice  than  for  your 
soul?”  the  other  cried.  “If  our  bodies  die  it  will 
matter  little,  if  we  have  been  baptised  and  our 
souls  are  safe.”  “You  are  right,”  his  cousin 
agreed;  and  that  same  day  they  began  their 
journey  of  three  hundred  and  sixty  m.iles  in  quest 
of  baptism. 

One  of  the  missionary  fathers  told  the  follow- 
ing experience:  “I  often  helped  Bishop  Berneux 
when  he  administered  baptism,  and  saw  rude 
mountaineers,  old  men  and  children,  burst  into 
tears  when  the  saving  water  was  poured  on  their 
heads.  I saw  women  of  seventy  years  who  had 
walked  a hundred  and  twenty  miles  that  they 
might  have  the  happiness  of  receiving  Holy 
Communion  a second  time  in  the  course  of  the 
year.  How  their  souls  thirsted  for  God!  It 
iDroke  our  hearts  not  to  be  able  often  to  break 
the  Bread  of  Life  for  them,  and  to  give  them 
the  helps  disdained  by  so  many  Europeans.” 

Father  de  Bretenières’s  rapid  progress  in  the 


Just  de  Bretenières 


129 


Korean  language- made  it  possible  for  him  to  be 
of  use  to  Bishop  Berneux  sooner  than  had  been 
hoped.  After  a few  months’  study  he  could  un- 
derstand and  make  himself  understood. 

To  the  Abbé  Gautrelet  he  wrote,  “I  wish  you 
could  see  me  these  days  with  my  hair  arranged 
in  the  strangest  fashion  imaginable,  arrayed  in 
wide  pantaloons  and  a little  white  vest  laced  in 
front  with  heavy  cord,  sitting  on  the  ground 
with  my  legs  crossed,  and  taking  long  puffs  at  a 
pipe  with  a copper  bowl  and  a bamboo  stem 
more  than  a yard  long.  I am  beginning  to  talk 
easily  in  the  strange  language  of  the  country 
which  to  you  would  sound  like  nothing  more  than 
trik-krok,  trik-krok.  Does  all  this  remind  you 
of  the  Just  of  other  days? 

“For  nearly  a month  I have  been  at  work. 
It  is  baptism  that  the  Bishop  had  oftenest  per- 
mitted me  to  administer,  and  I assure  you  that 
many  are  waiting  for  it.  Catechumens  come  in 
bands,  and  it  is  necessary  to  explain  to  them  any- 
thing that  they  do  not  well  understand,  to  pre- 
pare them  for  the  Sacrament,  and  then  to  ad- 
minister it.  When  there  are  ten  or  twelve  to  be 
baptized  it  takes  all  day  without  a moment  of 
rest;  but  that  is  nothing,  considering  the  need. 
Help  us,  dear  Lord! 

“Everywhere  there  is  a dearth  of  missioners, 
and  the  older  men  are  worn  out;  so,  you  see,  we 
need  not  fear  inaction,  and  that  is  a great  bless- 
ing. Thank  the  dear  Lord  for  me,  and  redouble 


130 


For  The  Faith 


your  prayers  for  me  and  my  intentions.  You  can 
imagine  how  much  help  I need. 

“By  the  time  this  letter  reaches  you  I shall 
probably  be  in  charge  of  a district.  With  my 
'mite  of  piety  and  of  theology  I should  be  ap- 
palled at  the  prospect  did  I not  count  on  God^s 
mercy  and  His  help.  Ask  Him  that  in  Tvorking 
with  all  my  might  to  gain  other  souls  for  Him  I 
may  not  lose  sight  of  my  own,  that  I may  truly 
live  for  Him  alone,  that  I may  strive  to  keep 
my  heart  close  to  His,  that  I miay  live  the  life 
of  an  apostle  of  Jésus  Christ  and  die  in  His 
love  !” 

Father  de  Bretenières  was  working  with  in- 
tense earnestness.  He  quickly  won  the  respect 
and  love  of  the  good  people  who  went  to  him.. 
His  great  height  and  distinguished  bearing  awed 
them  at  first,  but  his  affability  soon  gained  their 
hearts.  The  boy  who  taught  him  the  language 
afterwards  wrote  the  following  quaint  descrip- 
tion of  their  guest  and  of  his  life  during  these 
first  months  in  Korea:  “In  the  spring  of  1865 
Father  P.  Paik  (Father  de  Bretenières)  arrived 
in  our  country.  Fie  was  very  young.  He  had  a 
pleasant  face,  without  beard  of.  any  kind.  He  was 
more  than  six  feet  tall,  and  had  such  large  feet 
that  no  shoes  could  be  found  to  fit  him.  When 
some  were  ordered  the  sandal-maker  was  aston- 
ished at  the  measurements  given  him.  Being  so 
tall  he  v/as  not  easily  disguised  and  rarely  ven- 
tured out-of-doors;  this  is  why  he  did  not  go 
oftener  to  see  the  Bishop. 


Just  de  Bretenières 


131 


“He  was  very  gentle,  and  very  kind,  and  the 
sound  of  his  voice  was  pleasant.  He  was  care- 
ful to  honor  those  in  authority,  and  to  be  polite 
to  every  one.  He  followed  all  our  customs.  He 
treated  his  body  very  severely.  He  was  affable 
to  all  the  Christians  and  never  had  trouble  with 
them,  although  he  would  not  deviate  a hair’s 
breadth  from  the  regulations  laid  down  by  the 
Bishop.  He  worked  with  ardor,  was  always  in  a 
good  humor,  and  seemed  to  be  unaware  of  dif- 
ficulties. Though  he  did  not  have  time  to  learn 
our  language  well,  his  pronunciation  was  correct, 
and  it  was  easy  to  understand  him.  When  he  said 
Mass  or  took  part  in  any  pious  exercises  his  de- 
votion was  so  evident  that  all  who  saw  him  were 
moved  to  reverence  him.  Whenever  he  heard 
our  confessions  he  excited  in  us  deep  contrition 
and  was  very  kind.  Although  he  did  not  have 
time  to  go  to  Hpyeng-an  and  Hoang-hai  many 
catechumens  from  both  places  came  to  him  for 
baptism. 

“Without  the  permission  of  the  Bishop  not 
even  catechists  could  go  to  his  room  in  our  house, 
but  whenever  he  had  the  opportunity  to  see  any 
of  the  people  he  was  delighted  and  talked  to 
them  for  a long  time.  Without  showing  the  least 
repugnance  he  ate  all  kinds  of  Korean  food.  One 
day  when  they  gave  him  some  strange  kind  of 
buckwheat  cakes  he  ate  them  at  once,  and  said 
gaily,  ‘Is  it  to  keep  me  from  getting  to  heaven 
that  you  give  me  such  good  things?’  He  was  al- 
ways ready  for  a little  joke. 


132 


For  The  Faith 


“When  autumn  came  and  the  Bishop  put  him 
in  charge  of  the  City  of  Seoul  his  joy  was  greater 
than  I can  say.’’ 

In  the  last  months  of  1865  and  the  early  part 
of  1866  Father  de  Bretenières  heard  about  sev- 
enty-five confessions,  baptized  at  least  eighty 
adults,  blessed  several  marriages,  confirmed  a few 
persons,^  and  administered  Extreme  Unction  a 
number  of  times.  Almost  constantly  shut  up  In 
his  little  hiding  place,  and  obliged  to  be  watchful 
even  as  to  coughing,  and  sneezing,  and  moving 
about,  lest  he  should  attract  the  attention  of  pa- 
gans who  might  be  passing  the  house,  he  did  go 
out  whenever  a sick  person  needed  the  ministra- 
tions of  a priest  in  the  absence  of  the  Bishop. 
Two  or  three  times,  concealed  by  his  mourning 
garments,  he  even  ventured  beyond  the  city  lim- 
its to  administer  the  Sacraments.  New  to  the 
country  though  he  was,  he  was  proving  a valu- 
able assistant  to  Bishop  Berneux. 

1 By  special  privilege  missionary  priests  sometimes  administer 
confirmation. 


Just  de  Bretenières 


133 


CHAPTER  X. 

Persecution. 

Political  events  which  had  occurred  in  Korea 
in  1864  were  destined  to  have  far-reaching  and 
disastrous  consequences  for  the  missions.  In  Jan- 
uary of  that  year  the  king  had  died  suddenly, 
and  a revolution  in  the  palace  had  placed  the 
crown  on  the  head  of  a child  and  all  real  power 
in  the  hands  of  his  father,  a despot  with  no  love 
for  Christianity. 

In  Korea,  if  a king  is  childless,  he  chooses  one 
of  his  relatives  to  suqceed  him.  At  his  death  the 
royal  seal  is  given  to  the  heir  if  he  is  of  age; 
if  not,  the  oldest  living  queen  becomes  regent. 
But  the  king  who  died  in  1864  left  no  child  and 
had  neglected  to  appoint  a successor.  There  were 
four  queen-widows  in  the  palace  at  the  time: 
Tcho,  the  dead  king’s  grandmother;  Hong  and 
Pak,  his  father’s  wives;  and  his  own  wife,  whose 
name  was  Kim.  The  ministers  wished  Kim  to  be 
regent,  but  while  they  deliberated  the  old  queen 
Tcho  seized  the  seal  and  insisted  on  keeping  it. 
Through  amazement,  or  respect  for  her  age, 
neither  the  ministers  nor  Kim  opposed  her.  The 
weak  old  woman  then  chose  for  king  an  unruly 
child  of  twelve  years,  son  of  Prince  Heung-song- 
koun,  an  able,  unscrupulous,  violent  man,  who 


134  For  The  Faith 

wrested  all  semblance  of  power  from  Tcho’s 
hands. 

Heung-song-koun  despised  Christianity,  but  his 
gentle  wife  knew  and  loved  it.  Tcho,  widow  of 
the  author  of  the  terrible  persecution  of  1839, 
might  feel  that  family  tradition  pledged  her  to 
oppose  It.  For  a time  the  new  government  gave 
no  evidence  of  hostility,  but  it  was  impossible  to 
foresee  the  future. 

So,  at  the  moment  that  Father  de  Bretenières 
began  his  ministry,  the  Church  was  enjoying  com- 
parative peace,  and  the  Christians  believed  that 
at  last  liberty  w’as  to  dawn  for  them.  Bishop  Ber- 
neux,  wiser  than  his  children,  repeatedly  warned 
them,  saying,  “Do  not  be  deceived;  the  tiger  is 
only  sleeping.” 

The  fact  was  that  the  building  of  an  enormous 
palace  w-as  absorbing  the  attention  of  the  terri- 
ble Heung-song-koun.  Two  thousand  men  were 
being  employed  In  the  construction  of  this  “Sec- 
ond Louvre.”  In  accordance  with  the  traditions 
of  the  country  the  royal  treasury  could  supply  no 
funds  for  the  undertaking;  forced  contributions 
from  the  people  must  cover  the  expense.  The 
result  was  arbitrary  demands  and  exorbitant  tax- 
ation which  Infuriated  both  rich  and  poor,  al- 
though no  one  dared  to  protest.  To  have  done 
so  would  have  cost  any  man  his  head. 

To  add  to  the  widespread  misery,  terrible 
rains  flooded  Seoul,  and  the  overflowing  of  a 
river  south  of  the  city  added  to  the  destruction. 
Hundreds  of  houses  were  washed  away;  part  of 


1. 

2. 


AT  SEOUL 

Publishing  a Korean  Periodical  under  the  direction  of  the  Ben- 
edictine Fathers 

A Korean  Priest  on  his  visit  home 


Just  de  Bretenières 


135 


the  palace  caved  în;  the  city  wall,  thought  to  be 
an  impregnable  defense,  crumbled  and  fell;  and 
more  than  three  thousand  people  perished.  No 
such  disaster  had  ever  before  befallen  Seoul.  The 
people  attributed  it  to  the  anger  of  heaven,  pro- 
voked, they  believed,  by  the  wickedness  of  Heung- 
song-koun.  Those  rash  enough  to  say  so  above 
a whisper  were  promptly  put  to  death.  An  edu- 
cated man  wrote  to  the  regent  pointing  out  the 
sad  consequences  of  his  abuse  of  power.  The  ex- 
ecutioner brought  his  answer. 

The  Christians  should  have  been  particularly 
quiet  and  prudent  in  this  crisis,  for  the  least  in- 
cident was  almost  certain  to  direct  the  fury  of 
the  tyrant  towards  them.  The  tactlessness  of  a 
few  was  to  have  dire  consequences. 

In  January,  1864,  a Russian  ship  cast  anchor 
in  a little  port  on  the  Sea  of  Japan.  The  captain 
asked,  or  rather  demanded,  of  the  Korean  gov- 
ernment a grant  of  land  for  his  country  and  the 
establishment  of  commercial  relations  with  it. 
There  was  deep  consternation  throughout  the 
kingdom,  and  the  perplexed  regent  tried  to  make 
time  by  replying  that  Korea,  being  a vassal  of 
China,  could  not  take  so  important  a step  with- 
out consulting  the  authorities  at  Peking.  He  sent 
a special  embassy  to  China,  and  the  Russians  dis- 
embarked to  await  an  answer.  Meanwhile  anx- 
iety was  keen  throughout  poor  little  Korea. 

In  Seoul  there  lived  a nobleman,  Thomas  Kim- 
Kei-ho,  who  had  long  before  lost  caste  by  be- 
coming a Christian.  He  had  clung  to  his  faith, 


136 


For  The  Faith 


but  was  tîmîd  and  regretful  of  the  past,  and  now 
thought  that  the  danger  which  threatened  the 
country  offered  him  an  opportunity  to  regain  his 
lost  social  position  and  at  the  same  time  to  win 
the  gratitude  of  the  Church  in  Korea.  His  plans 
made  he  went  to  see  Bishop  Berneux,  and  in  the 
course  of  conversation  with  him  said,  “Do  you 
think  that  there  is  a way  to  prevent  the  Russians 
establishing  themselves  in  Korea?”  “I  think  that 
there  is,”  the  Bishop  replied.  “What  would  you 
do  if  the  regent  should  summon  you  to  the  palace 
to  confer  with  you?”  “I  should  go,”  Bishop  Ber- 
neux answered.  Well  pleased,  Thomas  went 
away.  He  and  his  friends  drafted  a letter  to  be 
presented  to  Heung-song-koun  suggesting  that  he 
should  interview  a French  missioner  who  could 
ward  off  the  threatening  danger.  The  letter 
declared  that  an  alliance  with  France  and  Eng- 
land, made  through  the  mediation  of  a Christian 
Bishop,  was  the  only  means  of  keeping  the  ag- 
gressors at  bay. 

Bishop  Berneux’s  presence  in  the  country  was 
thus  to  be  tactlessly  betrayed  to  the  regent.  It 
was  hard  to  forsee  the  consequences,  but  they 
might  easily  be  grave. 

Thomas  hurried  to  the  palace  and  eagerly  pre- 
sented his  letter  to  the  regent,  who  received  him 
coldly,  read  and  reread  the  letter,  and  put  it 
aside  without  a word.  Terrified,  Thomas  fled  to 
the  country;  and  about  the  same  time  Bishop 
Berneux  set  forth  on  one  of  his  missionary  jour- 
neys. 


Just  de  Bretenières 


137 


The  regent’s  wife  heard  of  the  matter  and 
thought  the  plan  a good  one.  She  loved  the 
Christians,  and  through  Martha  Pak,  one  of  her 
servants  and  a devout  Christian,  had  often  beg- 
ged Bishop'  Berneux’s  prayers  and  his  advice. 
She  said  to  Martha,  “Why  don’t  the  Christians 
do  something?  The  Russians  are  at  our  doors 
and  the  Bishop  who  might  help  us  has  gone 
about  his  mission  work  when  he  is  needed  here. 
Another  letter  should  be  presented  to  my  hus- 
band. Believe  me,  it  would  succeed.  Do  urge 
the  Bishop  to  return.” 

A second  letter,  written  by  Nam  John,  a man 
well  liked  in  the  palace,  was  more  favorably  re- 
ceived by  Heung-song-koun.  He  discussed  Chris- 
tianity with  Nam  John  for  a long  time,  and  de- 
clared that  he  thought  it  beautiful  in  everything 
except  its  prohibition  of  ancestor  worship.  Sud- 
denly dropping  questions  of  dogma,  he  asked, 
“Are  you  certain  that  the  Bishop  could  save  us 
from  the  Russians?”  “I  am  certain  that  he 
could,  “Nam  John  replied.  “Where  is  he?  Is 
he  in  Seoul?”  the  regent  asked  next.  “No,  he  has 
been  away  for  several  days.”  “Has  he  gone  to 
the  province  of  Hoang-hai  to  administer  your 
Christian  Sacraments?”  And  when  Nam  John 
answered,  “Yes,”  Heung-song-koun  said,  “I  wish 
to  see  him.” 

It  was  a decisive  moment  for  the  fate  of  the 
Church  in  Korea,  and  every  indication  seemed 
favorable.  Long  persecuted  and  in  hiding,  it  had 
friends  at  court  and  even  in  the  family  of  the 


138 


For  The  Faith 


king.  The  regent  had  softened,  the  queen  often 
prayed  to  the  true  God;  one  of  the  princesses 
was  baptizing  children  in  danger  of  death;  the 
young  king’s  nurse  was  a Catholic,  and  one  of 
his  uncles  was  kindly  disposed  towards  the  Faith. 
Surely  toleration  was  at  hand.  The  people  were 
very  hopeful;  they  even  began  to  talk  of  build- 
ing a cathedral. 

Unfortunately,  after  the  regent  asked  to  see 
the  Bishop  there  was  some  delay  in  sending  for 
him,  because  of  a lack  of  funds.  The  necessary 
money  was  at  last  supplied  by  a friend  of  the 
royal  family.  His  Lordship  reached  Seoul  on 
the  twenty-ninth  of  January,  but  when  Nam  John 
went  to  the  palace  to  announce  his  return  he 
found  that  the  wind  had  changed.  On  seeing  him 
Heung-song-koun  said  irritably,  “I  thought  that 
you  were  in  the  country  with  your  father.”  “I 
came  to  the  capital  on  business  which  you  know,” 
he  began;  and  the  regent  interrupted,  “There  is 
no  hurry  about  that.  Go  back  to  the  country  and 
stay  there.” 

The  terrified  Nam  John  was  tenderly  wel- 
comed by  his  father,  an  excellent  man  and  a 
fervent  Christian.  “You  played  a patriotic  part, 
but  it  will  cost  you  your  life,”  the  old  man  told 
him.  “When  they  make  you  sign  your  death  war- 
rant do  not  fail  to  erase  from  it  any  words  injur- 
ious to  the  Faith.”  Nam  John  hid,  but  in  vain. 

There  were  several  reasons  for  the  sudden 
change  in  the  regent’s  attitude.  The  Russians 
had  unexpectedly  gone  away  of  their  own  accord; 


139 


Just  de  Breteniêres 

the  ambassadors  sent  to  Peking  had  returned  to 
tell  that  in  the  ‘Tlowery  Kingdom”  they  were 
putting  to  death  all  “devils”  from  the  West;  and 
Korean  magistrates,  sore-hearted  because  they 
had  not  been  consulted  about  the  Russian  trouble, 
were  determined  to  revenge  themselves  on  all 
foreigners  by  seeing  that  the  laws  against  them 
were  enforced.  They  had  gone  to  the  regent 
with  the  cry,  “Death  to  every  European  in  the 
kingdom,  and  to  all  Christians!”  “But  Euro- 
pean ships  will  come  to  avenge  the  foreigners,” 
Heung-song-koun  had  objected.  “Have  we  not 
put  many  Europeans  to  death,  and  who  ever 
avenged  them?  What  harm  came  to  us  because 
of  them?”  the  prime  minister  had  urged.  The 
regent  had  weakened,  hesitated,  and  come  to  a 
decision  terrible  for  the  Christians. 

The  storm  soon  burst.  A few  days  later  his 
wife  sent  for  Martha  Pak,  who  found  her  weep- 
ing and  wringing  her  hands.  “Oh,  Martha! 
Martha!”  she  cried.  “Terrible  things  are  to 
happen  ! The  Bishop  and  every  European  whom 
they  can  lay  hands  upon  are  to  be  put  to  death. 
All  the  officials  are  against  my  husband,  and  what 
can  he  do  ? Why  was  the  dear  old  Bishop  brought 
back  to  the  capital  only  to  be  killed?  It  would 
have  been  so  much  better  for  him  to  have  re- 
mained where  he  was!”  The  good  woman  wept 
uncontrollably  for  a long  time;  when  she  could 
go  on,  she  added,  “Dear  Martha,  hide  yourself, 
for  I should  hate  to  lose  you.  Hide  in  some  place 


140 


For  The  Faith 


where  you  cannot  be  found.  Tell  the  Christians 
whom  you  know  to  hide,  too.” 

All  that  day  and  the  next  the  princess  was  be- 
side herself  with  anguish  at  the  thought  of  the 
fate  in  store  for  the  European  priests  whom  she 
esteemed  so  highly,  and  the  terrible  consequences 
which  might  follow  upon  their  deaths.  But  the 
die  was  cast.  The  soil  of  Korea  was  to  be 
soaked  with  the  blood  of  martyrs,  and  for  many 
a day  the  terror-stricken  Christians,  in  hourly 
peril  of  their  lives,  were  to  hide  in  their  poor 
little  huts  or  in  the  mountains,  praying,  praying 
unceasingly 

On  the  twentieth  of  June  two  messengers  from 
Korea  reached  Bishop  Verrolles,  bearing  the  fol- 
lowing letter  from  Bishop  Daveluy,  dated  March 
tenth:  “We  are  in  the  midst  of  a violent  perse- 
cution. Bishop  Berneux,  vicar-apostolic  of  Korea, 
was  taken  prisoner  on  the  tw^enty-third  of  Febru- 
ary, and  since  then  five  of  his  priests  have  also 
been  arrested — Fathers  Pourthié,  Petitnicolas, 
de  Bretenières,  Dorie  and  Beaulieu.  The  others 
will  certainly  be  found;  escape  is  impossible.  Al- 
ready there  is  talk  of  executing  the  six  who  are 
in  prison,  and  I believe  that  they  will  be  put  to- 
death  in  spite  of  their  French  and  Chinese  pass- 
ports. Whatever  comes,  God’s  will  be  done  ! My 
turn  is  coming,  and  I am  begging  Him  to  give 
me  strength  to  face  death  as  I should.  They 
pillaged  Bishop  Berneux’s  house  and  secured  all 
the  money  and  goods  belonging  to  the  mission. 

Pray  for  us.  “Antoine  Daveluy. 

“Coadjutor  Bishop  of  Korea.” 


Just  de  Bretenières 


141 


A copy  of  this  letter  was  sent  to  the  Baron 
de  Bretenières  by  Father  Wallys,  who  added, 
“Bishop  Daveluy’s  messengers  waited  for  three 
months  before  they  could  secure  a boat  to  bring 
them  to  Manchuria.  They  say  that  Bishop  Ber- 
neux  gave  his  life  for  Jesus  Christ  on  the  fif- 
teenth of  March,  and  that  the  five  missioners, 
arrested  soon  after  he  was,  followed  him  to 
heaven  on  the  eighth  of  April. 

“My  dear  Baron,  there  Is  little  doubt  that  this 
sad  news  Is  true;  however,  as  we  have  received 
no  account  of  the  martyrdoms  by  letter  or  from 
eye-witnesses  there  Is  still  faint  hope  in  our 
hearts.  The  messengers  tell  us,  too,  that  Bishop 
Daveluy  was  seized  before  they  left  Korea,  and 
with  him  three  other  missionaries  whose  Euro- 
pean names  they  do  not  know,  but  one,  I think, 
was  Father  Huln.  The  poor  Christians  have  been 
trapped,  robbed,  and  massacred,  or  have  died  of 
hunger  In  the  mountains  whither  they  had  fled  to 
escape  their  persecutors.” 

Further  details  of  what  had  happened  were 
gathered  later. 

Reaching  Seoul  late  in  January  Bishop  Ber- 
neux  waited  patiently  for  a summons  from  the 
regent.  On  February  fourteenth  two  armed  men 
presented  themselves  In  his  hut  on  the  pretext 
of  getting  a contribution  for  the  great  palace 
which  was  being  erected.  Their  visit  alarmed  the 
Bishop’s  friends  who  vainly  tried  to  find  a safe 
hiding  place  for  the  money  and  valuables  belong- 
ing to  the  mission,  all  of  which  were  In  his  keep- 


142 


For  The  Faith 


ing.  His  Lordship  refused  to  seek  a safer  re- 
treat. “It  is  I whom  they  want,”  he  said.  “If  I 
hide  they  will  make  a thorough  search,  and  a 
general  persecution  will  be  the  result.” 

After  night-fall  on  the  twenty-second  the 
armed  men  returned.  With  the  aid  of  a ladder 
they  got  on  the  roof  of  the  cabin,  and  afterwards 
examined  the  inside  of  it.  The  ladder  had  been 
furnished  by  Bishop  Berneux’s  servant,  a traitor 
who,  not  content  with  betraying  his  master,  de- 
nounced all  the  missioners  whose  places  of  resi- 
dence he  knew.  At  four  o’clock  in  the  afternoon 
of  the  twenty-third  the  house  was  surrounded, 
and  the  Bishop  was  seized  and  taken  before  a 
judge.  After  a short  examination  he  was  thrown 
into  the  common  prison. 

At  the  moment  Father  de  Bretenières  was  in 
the  house  of  a Christian  where  he  heard  two  con- 
fessions, confirmed  a man,  and  blessed  a mar- 
riage. Returning  to  his  own  room  he  learned 
that  Bishop  Berneux  had  been  arrested.  Not 
knowing  what  to  expect,  or  what  course  to  adopt, 
he  merely  sent  the  news  to  Bishop  Daveluy  and 
to  all  the  fathers  who  had  fixed  places  of  resi- 
dence. The  next  morning  he  said  Mass  for  the 
last  time.  At  dawn  on  the  twenty-fifth  the  house 
was  surrounded  by  soldiers.  The  catechist  was 
arrested,  but  Paul  Hpi,  Father  de  Bretenières’s 
little  professor,  was  away  from,  home  and  so  was 
saved.  At  first  the  men  pretended  not  to  suspect 
the  presence  of  the  European  priest,  although 
they  closely  watched  the  house.  No  one  ever 


Just  de  Bretenières 


143 


knew  how  Father  de  Bretenières  passed  that  day 
and  the  following  night,  the  vigil  of  his  supreme 
struggle. 

Early  in  the  morning  of  the  twenty-sixth  he  was 
seized,  bound,  and  dragged  away.  When  told  of 
the  arrest  of  Bishop  Berneux  he  had  asked  what 
shoes  he  wore  when  he  was  taken,  and  being  told 
those  he  used  when  saying  Mass,  he  had  ex- 
claimed, “Then  I,  too,  will  wear  my  Mass  san- 
dals.” And  so  he  did. 

A red  cord,  the  badge  of  great  criminals,  was 
tied  lightly  about  his  arms  and  chest,  and  thus, 
in  his  indoor  dress,  head  bare,  and  escorted  by 
eight  men,  three  before  him,  three  behind,  and 
one  on  either  side  holding  his  sleeves,  he  was 
taken  to  the  “Tribunal  of  the  Right,”  so  called 
because  it  was  to  the  right  of  the  king’s  palace. 
He  was  led  into  a large  court  room,  on  one  side 
of  which  were  seated  the  judges  and  a number  of 
other  mandarins.  The  judges  wore  their  official 
dress,  consisting  of  hats  made  of  horse  hair  with 
flaps  hanging  down  on  either  side,  and  volumin- 
ous blue  silk  gowns  confined  at  the  waist  by  belts 
richly  ornamented  with  tortoise  shell  or  precious 
stones. 

In  the  center  of  the  hall  there  stood  a chair 
meant  for  the  accused.  Father  de  Bretenières 
was  placed  in  it.  His  feet  were  strapped  together 
above  the  ankles.  A rope  was  placed  about  his 
knees  tying  them  together  and  at  the  same  time 
binding  him  tightly  to  the  chair,  and  his  arms 
and  shoulders  were  fastened  to  its  back,  so  that 


144 


For  The  Faith 


no  matter  what  torture  might  be  inflicted  it  would 
be  impossible  for  him  to  move.  Three  torturers 
took  their  places  on  each  side  of  him,  holding 
their  horrible  instruments  in  their  hands  and 
watching  the  judges  for  permission  to  set  to 
work.  Near  them,  but  separated  from  the  ac- 
cused by  a curtain,  was  a clerk  whose  duty  it  was 
to  take  notes  of  the  proceedings.  Farther  back 
twenty-four  soldiers,  armed  with  instruments  of 
torture,  were  ranged  in  a semi-circle,  and  behind 
them  a second  line  of  soldiers  kept  the  curious 
crowds  in  check.  While  a prisoner  was  exam- 
ined or  tortured  the  twenty-four  soldiers  always 
chanted  continuously  in  low,  heavy  tones,  to 
drown  his  answers  or  his  cries. 

From  servants  and  from  the  executioners  them- 
selves details  of  Father  de  Bretenières’s  trial 
were  afterwards  gathered.  On  entering  the  court 
room  he  had  found  there  his  beloved  Bishop,  and 
to  show  his  respect  had  knelt  humbly  at  his  feet. 
To  the  questions  asked  him  after  he  was  tied  to 
the  chair,  he  replied,  “I  came  to  Korea  to  save 
souls.  I will  gladly  die  for  Christ,”  and  excused 
himself  from  saying  more  because  he  w^as  new 
to  the  country  and  still  spoke  the  language  imper- 
fectly. After  his  first  examination  he  w^as  thrown 
into  Kou-riou-kan,  a dark,  cold,  loathsome  prison, 
reserved  for  the  lowest  criminals.  The  place  had 
no  opening  except  a low,  narrow  door  and  was 
dirty  and  ill-smelling.  Father  de  Brêtenières  was 
seated  on  the  ground,  and  left  there  for  the  night. 

The  next  day  he  was  taken  to  another  prison, 


i 


iih 


at  SEOUL 

1.  The  Catholic  Cathedral 

2.  In  the  Emperor’s  Garden 


Just  de  Bretenières 


145 


not  so  dark  as  Kpu-rlou-kan,  where  each  man  had 
a small  cell  with  a wooden  floor.  A number  of 
bells  were  rung  continuously  to  make  impossible 
any  communication  among  the  prisoners.  The 
whole  was  divided  into  three  sections,  one  meant 
for  those  not  in  serious  trouble,  the  second  for 
those  to  be  sent  into  exile,  the  third  for  all  who 
were  condemned  to  death.  It  was  into  the  last 
that  Father  de  Bretenières  was  thrown. 

According  to  the  laws  of  the  kingdom  four 
examinations  by  different  judges  were  necessary 
before  a man  could  be  put  to  death.  In  the  “Tri- 
bunal of  the  Left,”  Father  de  Bretenières  was 
examined  by  a sombre,  pitiless  man  who  never 
laughed,  would  listen  to  no  plea  for  mercy,  and 
to  no  advice.  He  decided  every  case  as  he  saw 
fit.  The  regent,  also,  had  intended  to  question 
him,  but  learning  that  he  spoke  the  language  im- 
perfectly changed  his  mind. 

For  four  days  Father  de  Bretenières  was  drag- 
ged from  one  court  to  another,  each  with  its  ter- 
rifying equipment  for  inhuman  torture.  First  he 
was  subjected  to  what  is  called  the  shienn-noiim. 
Armed  with  triangular  sticks  executioners  fiercely 
beat  the  shins,  feet,  and  fingers  until  the  flesh  was 
torn  from  the  bones  and  the  lacerated  legs  could 
no  longer  support  the  victim.  Another  day  Father 
de  Bretenières’s  body  was  beaten  almost  to  a 
pulp  with  heavy  clubs,  and  it  is  probable  that  his 
ribs  were  broken  by  the  blows.  He  was  tortured 
other  times,  but  there  is  no  record  of  the  Instru- 
ments used;  however,  an  idea  of  what  his  suffer- 


146 


For  The  Faith 


ings  were  may  be  gained  from  a description  of 
the  punishments  in  frequent  use  at  that  time. 

A criminal  was  sometimes  laid  face  down- 
wards on  the  ground,  and  a strong  man  beat  him 
across  the  legs  with  a stout  club,  four  or  five  feet 
long  and  six  or  seven  inches  thick,  which  was  nar- 
rowed at  one  end  to  form  a handle.  After  a few 
blows  blood  flowed;  a few  more,  and  flesh  came 
off  in  large  pieces,  and  by  the  tenth  twelfth 
stroke  the  dub  struck  the  bare  bones,  ivloie  than 
one  Christian  received  as  many  as  sixty  strokes 
in  a single  examination. 

Another  form  of  torture  was  inflicted  with  a 
thin  board  three  feet  long,  and  two  inches  in 
width,  with  which  the  sufferer  was  beaten  on  the 
shins.  Ordinarily  thirty  blows  were  given,  and  as 
an  executioner  was  expected  to  break  his  lath  at 
each  one  thirty  had  to  be  in  readiness  for  each 
criminal.  A similar  form  of  punishment  was  in- 
flicted with  very  slender  sticks,  interwoven  to 
form  a kind  of  rope,  with  which  the  whole  body 
was  beaten. 

There  were  three  ways  in  which  bones  were 
bent  or  dislocated.  In  one,  after  the  knees  and 
feet  had  been  tied  together,  two  sticks  were 
passed  through  the  space  between  and  pulled  in 
opposite  directions  until  the  bones  curved  out- 
ward; then  they  were  slowly  allowed  to  go  back 
to  their  natural  shape.  At  other  times  the  toes 
of  both  feet  were  tied  together,  a thick  piece  of 
wood  was  placed  between  the  calves  of  the  legs, 
and  ropes  were  fastened  about  the  knees  on  which 


Just  de  Bretenîères 


147 


two  men  pulled  in  opposite  directions,  little  by 
little  making  them  almost  touch.  Again  a crimi- 
nal would  have  his  arms  horribly  dislocated. 
Afterwards  the  torturer  planted  his  feet  on  the 
victim’s  chest,  seized  his  arms,  and  roughly  drag- 
ged them  into  place.  Executioners  whom  long 
practice  had  made  skillful  could  bend  bones 
without  breaking  them;  novices  broke  them  so 
horribly  that  marrov/  as  well  as  blood  poured 
from  the  wounds. 

Another  form  of  torture  consisted  In  stripping 
the  victim,  tying  his  hands  behind  his  back,  and 
hanging  him  up  by  the  arms.  Four  men  then 
beat  him  with  rods.  After  a few  minutes  the 
tongue  protruded  and  the  face  became  purple, 
and  death  quickly  followed  unless  the  sufferer 
was  taken  down  and  allowed  to  rest.  After  he 
recovered  he  was  usually  suspended  again.  At 
other  times  criminals  were  hung  by  their  hair, 
with  their  knees  resting  on  bits  of  broken  glass, 
and  as  they  hung  they  were  beaten  with  sticks. 

Still  another  form  of  torture  was  given  with 
cord  made  of  horse  hair,  which  two  men  pulled 
across  the  legs  until  It  cut  to  the  bone,  when  they 
would  shift  their  rope  and  begin  to  work  In  an- 
other place. 

The  length  of  time  that  these  tortures  were 
Inflicted  depended  entirely  upon  the  caprice  of 
the  judges  who,  when  the  accused  were  Chris- 
tians on  trial  for  their  Faith,  often  gave  free 
rein  to  their  hatred  and  devised  added  refine- 
ments of  cruelty  too  horrible  to  Imagine.  It 


148 


For  The  Faith 


seldom  happened  that  after  an  examination  fol- 
lowed by  torture  the  accused  was  able  to  drag 
himself  from  the  court  room.  Ordinarily  the  ex- 
ecutioners lifted  him  on  two  poles  and  carried 
him,  limp  and  bleeding,  to  the  prison. 

Under  torture  Father  de  Bretenières  kept  his 
eyes  cast  down,  and  neither  sigh  nor  complaint 
passed  his  lips.  His  silence  astonished  and  an- 
gered the  judges  and  incited  them  to  still  greater 
cruelty.  All  witnesses  testified  that  after  Bishop 
Berneux  he  was  the  most  pitilessly  tortured. 

The  terrible  ordeal  lasted  for  four  successive 
days.  He  was  alternately  questioned  and  tor- 
tured until  at  length  his  patient  heroism  discon- 
certed his  enemies  and  for  very  shame  they  did 
no  more.  Thrown  again  into  prison,  his  wounds 
were  dressed  with  oiled  paper  and  wrapped  in  a 
coarse  kind  of  cloth.  On  the  fifth  day  he  was 
taken  back  to  the  horrors  of  Kou-riou-kan, 
where  the  loved  companionship  of  the  Bishop 
and  of  Fathers  Beaulieu  and  Dorie  sweetened 
his  pain.  In  the  midst  of  their  suffering  the  four 
rejoiced  together  that  they  were  on  the  threshold 
of  martyrdom.  How  ardently  they  had  longed 
for  it  in  their  peaceful  seminary  days  and  as 
they  journeyed  Eastward  or  toiled  among  their 
poor  people! 

Days  passed,  and  still  Father  de  Bretenières 
waited,  in  darkness  and  dirt  and  noise,  consumed 
with  fever,  and  with  no  other  bed  than  the 
ground  for  his  wounded,  pain-racked  body.  But 
even  then  his  gaiety  did  not  forsake  him.  He 


Just  de  Bretenières 


149 


made  pathetic  little  jokes  with  his  jailors,  and 
tried  to  be  kind  to  them — men  whom  long  years 
of  service  In  Kou-riou-kan  had  hardened  until 
they  knew  no  pity. 


150 


For  The  Faith 


CHAPTER  XL 
Martyrdom. 

On  the  eighth  of  March  a white  flag  floated 
over  the  sandy  plain  south  of  Seoul,  announcing 
the  execution  of  criminals  of  high  station.  A tent 
had  been  pitched  for  the  accommodation  of  a 
mandarin  and  his  attendants,  and  everything  was 
in  readiness. 

When  the  appointed  hour  drew  near  four  con- 
demned men  were  led  from  their  prison:  Bishop 
Berneux  first.  Father  de  Bretenières^  next  to 
him,  and  after  them  Father  Beaulieu  and  Father 
Dorie.  Each  was  placed  in  a chair;  his  arms  and 
legs  were  tied  to  the  seat,  and  his  head  was  held 
slightly  back  by  strings  which  attached  his  hair 
to  a lathe  behind  him.  Over  each  man’s  head 
hung  a little  placard,  on  both  sides  of  which  his 
sentence  was  written.  Just’s  read,  “Paik,  rebel- 
lious and  disobedient,  condemned  to  die  after 
having  been  tortured.” 

Curious  crowds  had  gathered  about  the  prison 
to  see  the  European  priests  go  to  death,  and 
jeered  and  laughed  as  they  watched  the  prepa- 
rations. Bishop  Berneux  spoke  gently  to  them. 


1 Evidently  the  messengers  from  Bishop  Daveluy  sent  to  Man- 
churia had  been  mistaken  in  thinking  that  Bishop  Berneux  had 
been  martyred  alone  on  the  hfteenth  of  March,  and  nis  companions 
not  until  the  eighth  of  April. 


Just  de  Bretenières 


151 


“Do  not  mock  and  laugh,”  he  said.  “You  should 
weep  to  see  us  die.  We  came  to  teach  you  the 
way  to  heaven,  and  now  we  can  work  for  you  no 
longer.  How  you  are  to  be  pitied!” 

Ttvo  burly  men  lifted  each  chair  to  their  shoul- 
ders and  four  hundred  soldiers  accompanied  the 
party.  It  required  an  hour  to  go  from  the  prison 
in  Seoul  to  the  arena.  The  porters  paused  several 
times  to  rest,  giving  the  Bishop  an  opportunity 
to  advise  and  encourage  his  young  priests.  The 
unmistakable  joy  shining  from  each  countenance 
irritated  the  pagans  who  watched  them  pass. 
“The  fools  dare  to  laugh!”  they  complained. 
Just  turned  his  bright  face  towards  one  of  them 
and  said  softly,  “To  die  Is  very  sweet.” 

The  mandarin  and  his  numerous  attendants 
were  In  their  places  when  the  party  reached  the 
arena,  and  all  the  terrible  instruments  of  torture 
were  In  readiness.  The  condemned  were  sub- 
jected to  rough  treatment  as  they  were  loosened 
from  their  chairs.  Father  de  Bretenières,  prob- 
ably in  conscious  Imitation  of  Our  Saviour,  said, 
“I  am  thirsty.”  A Christian  soldier  quickly 
brought  some  water,  but  a pagan  who  stood 
nearby  would  not  allow  him  to  touch  it. 

Bishop  Berneux  was  called  first,  and  soon  his 
body  lay  lifeless,  and  his  head  rolled  across  the 
sand.  Father  de  Bretenlères’s  turn  came  next. 

They  stripped  him  of  most  of  his  clothing, 
threw  water  on  his  face  and  head,  and  sprinkled 
them  with  lime  that  they  might  not  show  the 
effects  of  the  last  struggle.  His  ears  were  folded 


152 


For  The  Faith 


over  and  pierced  with  darts  which  were  allowed 
to  remain  in  the  wounds.  His  arms  were  tied  be- 
hind his  back  and  a long  pole  was  passed  under 
them  on  which  two  soldiers  lifted  him  to  show 
him  to  the  crowd.  Preceded  by  three  flag  bear- 
ers and  two  soldiers  bearing  instruments  of  tor- 
ture, and  followed  by  two  flag-bearers  and  three 
other  soldiers  similarly  equipped,  he  was  then 
carried  eight  times  around  the  arena,  the  circles 
narrowing  at  each  round  so  that  the  last  ended 
in  the  center.  Meanwhile  a number  of  soldiers 
marched  and  countermarched  in  elaborate  ma- 
neuvers to  amuse  the  spectators. 

On  reaching  the  middle  of  the  arena  Just  was 
placed  on  his  knees.  He  bent  his  head  forward 
and  a soldier  held  the  cord  with  which  his  hair 
was  tied.  Six  executioners  took  their  places  near 
him,  and  at  a signal  from  the  mandarin  danced 
about  him,  brandishing  their  axes  and  uttering 
unearthly  cries,  before  they  began  to  strike  furi- 
ously and  not  very  carefully  at  his  neck.  At  the 
fourth  stroke  Just’s  dear  head  was  severed  from 
his  body,  and  all  the  soldiers  called  out  triumph- 
antly, “It  is  done!  It  is  done!” 

The  head  was  placed  on  a board,  and  two 
knives  were  thrust  into  it  that  the  mandarin 
might  turn  it  back  and  forth  without  touching  it. 
With  the  head  borne  before  them  the  soldiers 
again  marched  eight  times  around  the  arena, 
widening  instead  of  narrowing  the  circles,  until 
they  reached  the  mandarin’s  tent.  The  bloody 
head  was  presented  to  him,  and  after  he  had 


THE  CATHEDRAL  OF  SEOUL 
(The  Pulpit  is  the  handiwork  of  Korean  youths  directed 
by  Benedictine  Fathers) 


Just  de  Bretenières 


153 


identified  it,  it  was  hung  by  the  hair  to  a post, 
with  the  sentence  of  death  nailed  above  it. 

So  did  he  die,  the  gifted  son  of  a rich  and 
aristocratic  house,  who  had  preferred  suffering 
to  all  that  the  world  could  offer,  and  Christ  to 
His  fairest  gifts. 

Father  Beaulieu  and  Father  Dorie  passed 
bravely  through  a like  ordeal.  That  day,  on  a 
road  leading  eastward  from  Seoul,  a servant  of 
Bishop  Berneux’s  and  the  devoted  mandarin, 
Nam  John,  were  also  martyred;  and  in  the  same 
place  Father  Pourthié  and  Father  Petitnicolas 
were  put  to  death  three  days  later.  With  them 
suffered  a young  Korean  and  a zealous  old  cate- 
chist who  had  served  his  Master  long  and  well. 
Bishop  Daveluy  and  Father  Huin  were  martyred 
on  Holy  Saturday,  March  thirtieth,  in  a village 
far  south  of  Seoul. 

No  one  dared  to  claim  the  bodies  of  Bishop 
Berneux  and  his  companions.  Hour  after  hour 
they  lay  on  the  blood-stained  sand,  with  no  one 
near  to  weep  or  to  pray.  Ravens  hovered  over 
the  spot,  but  did  not  touch  the  precious  relics. 
After  three  days  the  display  of  the  corpses  was 
considered  to  have  lasted  long  enough  to  impress 
all  passers-by  with  deep  respect  for  the  laws  of 
Korea;  and  as  no  one  claimed  them  the  people 
of  the  village  towards  which  their  faces  had 
been  turned  when  they  died  were  obliged  to  bury 
them.  The  task  fell  to  the  pagans  of  Sai-nam- 
hte,  a town  not  far  from  Seoul.  They  dug  a big 


154 


For  The  Faith 


trench  and  threw  the  despised  remains  into  it. 
All  was  over. 

Six  months  passed.  The  persecution  had  abated 
a little,  and  the  Christians  began  to  venture  tim- 
idly from  their  hiding  places.  Their  first  care 
was  to  bury  decently  the  fathers  who  had  come 
so  far  to  bring  them  salvation.  Poor  before  per- 
secution came  upon  them,  nearly  all  of  them  were 
destitute  now,  but  at  the  cost  of  untold  sacrifices 
they  collected  sufficient  money  to  defray  the  ex- 
pense. Women  set  the  example  by  selling  their 
wedding  rings,  the  only  jewelry  they  had,  and 
inexpressibly  precious  apart  from  their  intrinsic 
value. 

All  being  in  readiness,  forty  Christians  met 
one  night  near  the  grave  of  Bishop  Berneux  and 
his  companions.  They  dug  up  the  mutilated  re- 
mains, placed  each  head  with  the  body  to  which 
it  belonged,  hurriedly  laid  the  four  side  by  side 
in  the  earth  once  more,  refilled  the  trench,  and 
rolled  stones  over  the  mound;  for  dawn  was 
breaking  and  they  must  separate  without  being 
seen.  Two  nights  later  the  same  men  went  back, 
carrying  coffins,  shrouds,  and  holy  water.  Four 
graves  were  quickly  dug,  and  with  utmost  rever- 
ance  the  bodies  were  lowered  into  them,  while 
appropriate  prayers  were  read  from  books  which 
had  escaped  the  rage  of  the  persecutors.  Each 
martyr’s  name  was  scratched  on  a shell  which 
was  buried  close  to  his  coffin. 

There  the  precious  relics  lay  undisturbed  until 
October,  1899,  when  they  were  verified  by  the 


Just  de  Bretenières 


155 


Bishop  of  Seoul,  in  the  presence  of  three  wit- 
nesses who  had  assisted  at  the  exhumation,  and 
were  secretly  borne  to  the  cathedral  and  buried 
in  its  crypt. 

It  was  long  before  tidings  of  the  persecution 
reached  France.  Late  in  the  summer  of  ’66,  five 
months  after  the  martyrdoms,  English  dispatches 
reported  in  a vague  way  that  some  Europeans 
had  been  massacred  in  Korea.  Mme.  de  Bre- 
tenières was  at  Vichy  when  these  rumors  reached 
her,  and  was  already  keenly  anxious  when  Chris- 
tain  hurried  to  her  from  Switzerland  to  tell  her 
of  a conversation  that  he  had  chanced  to  over- 
hear there,  which  seemed  to  confirm  what  she 
had  read.  They  went  at  once  to  Boulogne  to  be 
in  closer  communication  with  Paris. 

On  the  fifth  of  September  Father  Delpech,  as- 
sistant superior  of  the  Foreign  Mission  Seminary, 
wrote  to  Bishop  Rivet  of  Dijon,  saying,  “One  of 
your  children.  Father  Simon  Marie  Anthony  Just 
Ranfer  de  Bretenières,  member  of  the  Congrega- 
tion of  Missions  and  Missionary  Apostolic  in 
Korea,  has  won  the  palm  of  martyrdom. 

“Your  Lordship  will  learn  all  the  details  that 
we  know  from  the  enclosed  letter  of  Father 
Patriat’s  and  the  one  which  I have  written  to  the 
father  of  our  dear  martyr.  I dare  not  send  my 
letter  direct  to  him,  and  am  confiding  it  to  Your 
Lordship,  convinced  that  you  will  know  how  to 
soften  the  sad  news  with  all  the  consolations 
which  faith  and  the  hope  of  heaven  can  give. 


156 


For  The  Faith 


“Use  my  letter  as  you  see  fit.  Give  it  to  the 
poor  parents  or  withhold  it,  as  seems  best. 

“I  lived  here  with  Father  de  Bretenières  for 
three  years.  He  was  undoubtedly  a saint.  It 
can  truly  be  said  of  him:  ^Consummatus  in  hrevi 
explevit  tempora  multaJ 

The  message  could  not  have  been  confided  to 
tenderer  lips.  The  kindly  Bishop  went  at  once  to 
see  the  parents  of  the  young  martyr,  and  with 
exquisite  tact  and  gentleness  prepared  them  for 
the  terrible  news  before  he  placed  in  their  hands 
this  letter,  written  by  Father  Delpech: 

“Yesterday  we  received  direct  news,  from  our 
dear  Korea,  of  grave  and  important  events,  never 
to  be  effaced  from  the  annals  of  God’s  Church. 
The  designs  of  God  are  impenetrable  to  us,  but 
by  faith  we  know  that  everything  permitted  by 
Providence  works  for  the  salvation  of  souls.  Let 
us,  then,  adore  the  tender  Providence  of  God 
that  every  pain  may  become  for  us  a means  of 
sanctification  and  a pledge  of  eternal  life. 

“These,  my  dear  Sir,  are  the  details  which  we 
have  just  received  concerning  the  recent  trouble 
in  Korea:  Last  January  some  Russians  landed 
on  the  coast  of  Korea  and  demanded  the  opening 
of  a port  to  commerce  with  their  country.  The 
government  was  greatly  disturbed.  As  the  regent 
was  trying  to  find  some  means  of  keeping  them 
at  bay,  and  was  personally  w^ell  disposed  towards 
Christianity,  certain  Christians  thought  that  they 
had  an  excellent  opportunity  of  serving  our  holy 
Faith.  They  told  the  regent  that  the  two  Bishops 


Just  de  Bretenières 


157 


of  Korea  and  their  priests  would  be  the  best  pos- 
sible intermediaries  in  the  Russian  affair. 

“The  regent  sent  for  the  Bishops.  Bishop  Ber- 
neux,  who  was  working  in  his  country  missions 
and  had  little  faith  in  the  plans  afoot,  was  not 
eager  to  return  to  the  capital,  but  his  presence  in 
the  kingdom  having  become  officially  known  he 
was  obliged  to  obey  the  summons. 

“By  the  time  he  reached  Seoul  the  Russians 
had  disappeared,  and  with  them  the  fears  of  the 
Government.  About  the  court  there  were  man- 
darins intensely  hostile  to  Christianity  who,  see- 
ing the  Bishop  made  easy  prey,  urged  that  he  and 
his  priests  be  seized.  The  regent  objected  at 
first,  but  ended  by  supporting  them,  and  Bishop 
Berneux  was  taken  prisoner.  Orders  were  given 
to  arrest  Bishop  Daveluy  and  a number  of  mds- 
sioners  whose  hiding  places  had  been  revealed 
by  a traitor.  Soon  both  Bishops  and  all  but  three 
of  the  priests  were  in  the  hands  of  persecutors 
who,  blind  to  the  consequences  of  their  folly,  were 
determined  to  stop  at  nothing.  So  the  Bishops 
and  seven  of  their  priests  were  martyred. 

“We  have  not  yet  heard  all  details,  but  we 
know  that  on  the  eighth  of  March  Bishop  Ber- 
neux, Father  Dorie  and  Father  Beaulieu,  and  one 
other,  were  put  to  death;  that  on  the  eleventh 
Father  Pourthié  and  Father  Petitnicolas  followed 
them  to  heaven;  and  last  of  all,  on  the  thirtieth 
of  the  same  month.  Bishop  Daveluy  was  mar- 
tyred with  Fathers  Aumaître  and  Huin. 

“We  know,  too,  that  these  nine  confessors  of 


158 


For  The  Faith 


the  Faith  went  to  their-  death  with  a calmness 
and  joy  evident  even  to  the  pagans,  so  happy 
were  they  to  leave  this  vale  of  tears  for  the  arms 
of  their  Heavenly  Father. 

“I  have  named  all  but  one  of  our  venerated 
martyrs.  I have  hesitated  to  say  his  name,  know- 
ing the  depth  of  a father’s  and  of  a mother’s 
love.  Your  own  hearts  have  uttered  the  word  I 
dared  not  say. 

“Perhaps  I should  have  counted  absolutely  on 
your  faith  and  unhesitatingly  have  placed  your 
beloved  son  in  the  band  of  our  holy  martyrs. 
The  day  that  Father  Just  was  arrested  he  had 
baptized  twenty-live  catechumens. 

“These,  my  dear  Sir,  are  the  only  details 
which  we  know  now. 

“I  beg  Our  Saviour  and  the  Queen  of  Martyrs 
to  soften  for  you  and  yours  the  grief  which  this 
news  must  cause.  Faith  will  teach  you,  in  time, 
to  thank  God  for  the  great  glory  which  He  has 
deigned  to  bestow  upon  your  child. 

“In  the  love  our  Our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  and 
in  memory  of  our  dear  martyr  accept  for  your- 
self and  all  your  family  the  expression  of  my 
respectful  affection  and  entire  devotion. 

“Delpech, 

“Missionary  Apostolic.” 

After  he  and  his  wife  had  read  this  letter  to- 
gether the  poor  old  father  wept  uncontrollably. 
Many,  many  times  he  had  renewed  the  sacrifice 
of  his  son  to  God;  still,  deep  in  his  heart  the 


Just  de  Breteniêres 


159 


hope  of  seeing  him  again  would  not  die.  He 
knew  now  that  this  could  never  be.  And  what 
torture  had  preceded  Just’s  death?  And  where 
did  his  body  rest?  The  mother  could  not  weep. 
Bishop  Rivet  said  a few  words  of  comfort,  and 
soon  the  broken-hearted  old  father  and  mother 
knelt  together  at  his  feet  and  In  voices  broken  by 
sobs  murmured  the  Te  Deum. 

Soon  letters  poured  into  their  hands  from 
Paris  and  from  the  Orient,  bringing  tribute  after 
tribute  of  love  and  admiration  for  Just;  sweet 
comfort  for  their  aching  hearts.  How  those  let- 
ters were  treasured!  read  and  reread  a hundred 
times,  until  they  were  known  word  for  word! 

A beautiful  little  incident,  cherished  by  all 
lovers  of  Just,  was  also  a solace  to  them  in  the 
hard  days  of  their  first  grief.  It  seems  that  when 
he  was  nine  or  ten  years  of  age  the  boy  planted 
a rose  bush  in  the  grounds  adjoining  the  convent 
of  the  Sisters  of  Charity  in  Dijon.  It  lived,  but 
never  bloomed.  The  sisters  treasured  it  as  a 
souvenir  of  Just  and  would  not  permit  the  gar- 
dener to  uproot  it.  To  everyone’s  amazement, 
early  in  the  spring  of  1866,  four  buds*  appeared 
upon  It,  and  in  time  four  lovely  roses  I 


160 


For  The  Faith 


CHAPTER  XII. 

The  Rendezvous. 

While  he  was  at  the  Foreign  Mission  Seminary 
Just  had  written  to  his  parents:  “The  few  days 
that  we  have  to  spend  in  this  world  will  pass 
quickly,  and  how  happy  we  shall  be  when  v/e  are 
reunited  in  heaven,  never  to  part  again,  and  lov- 
ing one  another  in  Our  Lord,  without  uneasiness 
or  fear  of  the  future.” 

The  Baron  de  Bretenières  was  the  first  to  join 
his  son.  He  died  in  January,  1882,  at  the  age  of 
seventy-eight.  After  four  lonely  years  his  wife 
slipped  peacefully  away,  not  long  before  her 
eightieth  birthday.  Only  Christian  remained. 
He  had  been  for  years  Superior  of  St.  Francis  de 
Sales  College  in  Dijon  when  he  died,  an  old  man, 
deeply  revered  and  loved. 

The  family  was  reunited  at  last. 


Just  de  Bretenières 


161 


APPENDIX. 

It  is  to  Bishop  Daveluy’s  unwearied  efforts 
that  we  owe  the  interesting  story  of  the  Church 
in  Korea.  Sent  there  in  1845,  for  twenty  years 
he  collected  everything  that  could  be  found  re- 
lating to  the  establishment  and  growth  of  Chris- 
tianity, and  many  anecdotes  of  its  times  of  trial, 
its  confessors,  and  its  martyrs.  Fortunately  his 
notes  were  sent  to  France  some  months  before 
the  outbreak  of  the  persecution  which  counted 
him  among  its  victims. 

Korea  is  a mountainous  peninsula  parallel  to 
the  eastern  coast  of  China.  It  is  three  hundred 
miles  in  length  and  a hundred  in  width.  A vassal 
of  China  until  1895,  in  that  year  the  treaty  of 
Shimonoseki  placed  it  under  the  protection  of 
Japan;  but  it  was  always  an  autonomous  king- 
dom, with  a language  and  customs  materially 
different  from  those  of  either  China  or  Japan. 
Until  long  after  Father  de  Bretenières’s  brief  day 
there  the  government  jealously  isolated  the  coun- 
try from  the  rest  of  the  world. 

In  1860  China  was  forcibly  opened  to  Euro- 
pean commerce,  but  the  Powers  made  no  effort  to 
enter  into  negotiations  with  inhospitable  Korea, 
and  six  years  later  Catholic  missioners  were  still 
the  only  Europeans  who,  at  the  risk  of  their 
lives,  had  succeeded  in  settling  there. 


162 


For  The  Faith 


Nevertheless  the  Koreans  have  always  been 
singularly  well  disposed  to  receive  the  good  seed 
of  the  Gospel.  In  other  pagan  lands  the  Church 
has  made  its  w^ay  almost  entirely  through  the 
children  in  Catholic  schools  and  orphanages.  In 
Korea  men — the  intellectuals  .of  the  country — 
were  the  first  converts,  and  its  evangelization 
was  unique  in  the  history,  not  only  of  modern 
missions,  but  of  Christianity. 

The  world  marvels  at  the  constancy  of  the 
Japanese  who  guarded  the  Faith  through  two 
centuries  of  persecution,  carefully  transmitting 
its  essentials  to  their  descendents.  They  did  this 
without  priests,  or  any  Sacrament  except  baptism, 
until  Japan  opened  her  doors  to  the  world  and 
missioners  again  flocked  into  the  country.  But 
Japan  had  received  the  Faith  from  St.  Francis 
Xavier,  and  for  a century  Christianity  had  flour- 
ished there.  When  it  was  persecuted,  almost 
to  extinction,  the  faithful  who  so  tenaciously 
clung  to  it  had  a precious  legacy  of  Christian 
traditions  and  many  examples  of  holiness  to 
strengthen  them  in  long  generations  of  isolation. 

The  story  of  Korea  is  entirely  different,  and 
even  more  extraordinary.  A country  cut  off  from 
the  rest  of  the  world,  it  had  never  seen  a priest. 
Towards  the  end  of  the  eighteenth  century  some 
of  its  scholars  accidentally  came  across  Catholic 
books  written  in  Chinese  and  brought  them  into 
Korea  with  a number  of  scientific  works.  In  1783 
one  of  these  scholars,  Peter  Seng-Houn-i,  w^as  a 
members  of  the  embassy  which  Korea  sent  an- 


WORKROOM  IN  THE  BENEDICTINE  TRADE  SCHOOL,  SEOUL 


Just  de  Bretenières 


163 


nually  to  Peking,  and  while  there  he  became  ac- 
quainted with  Bishop  Alexander  de  Govea,  a Port- 
uguese Franciscan,  and  was  baptized  by  him. 

On  returning  to  his  own  country  he  took  with 
him  religious  books,  crucifixes,  and  pictures,  which 
he  distributed  among  his  friends;  and  with  the 
aid  of  Piek-i  and  a few  other  earnest  men  he  en- 
deavored to  spread  the  knowledge  of  the  Faith, 
appealing  particularly  to  the  most  learned  and 
thoughtful  men  of  the  country.  The  fervent  cate- 
chists invited  public  discussions  with  followers  of 
other  religions,  and  these  debates  redounded  to 
the  honor  of  Christianity,  and  gave  it  an  assured 
position  in  the  world  of  letters.  Thence  it  was 
diffused  among  the  middle  and  lower  classes. 

The  catechumens  baptized  by  Peter  Seng-Houn-i 
baptized  others.  Books,  written  by  Chinese  mis- 
sioners,  were  translated  into  Korean;  the  neo- 
phytes were  taught  Christian  practices — the  sanc- 
tification of  Sunday,  the  observance  of  days  of 
fast  and  abstinence,  even  the  rigors  of  asceti- 
cism; and  the  Christian  laws  regarding  marriage 
were  inculcated  to  the  best  of  the  catechists’  abil- 
ity. In  a word,  a society  of  the  faithful  was 
established,  attached  to  the  church  in  China  by 
baptism:  and  all  through  the  zeal  of  one  convert, 
a layman,  and  not  thoroughly  instructed. 

Such  a beginning  was  marvelous;  the  sequel 
was  even  more  so. 

The  infant  Church  of  Korea  waited  ten  years 
for  the  first  Catholic  priest  who  penetrated  into 
the  kingdom.  Again  and  again  the  isolated  Chris- 


164 


For  The  Faith 


tians  entreated  the  Bishop  of  Peking  to  send 
them  priests,  but  he  was  unable  to  do  so.  Long- 
ing for  spiritual  help,  and  in  their  ignorance  not 
understanding  that  they  could  not  transmit  the 
priesthood  even  as  they  conferred  baptism,  they 
consecrated  a bishop  and  ordained  several  priests, 
according  to  the  ceremonies  which  Peter  Seng- 
Houn-i  had  witnessed  in  Peking,  and  very  care- 
fully made  altar  vessels  for  the  celebration  of 
Mass. 

Hearing  of  all  this  the  Bishop  of  Peking  at 
once  wrote  to  them  explaining  their  mistake,  and 
with  childlike  docility  the  so-called  priests  obeyed 
him  and  they  and  their  fellow  Christians  renewed 
their  entreaties  for  help  from  China.  They  were 
destined  to  pass  through  great  trials  before  it 
reached  them. 

The  slender  theological  knowledge  which  had 
permitted  the  heads  of  this  little  community  to 
take  upon  themselves  the  priesthood  was  equally 
at  fault  in  regard  to  their  duty  concerning  the 
ceremonies  held  in  honor  of  their  ancestors.  The 
rites  practiced  in  China  had,  after  much  contro- 
versy, been  condemned  by  the  Holy  See  as  savor- 
ing of  idolatry.  Those  in  use  in  Korea  were  but 
slightly  different,  and  the  people’s  attachment  to 
them  not  less  strong. 

When  instructions  on  this  point  came  from 
Peking  the  Korean  Christians  had  no  alternative 
but  to  renounce  the  ancient  rites  as  dear  to  them 
as  their  beloved  dead.  A few  gave  up  the 
Church.  The  rest  submitted,  but  the  spread  of 


Just  de  Bretenières 


165 


the  Faith  was  arrested,  and  in  the  eyes  of  the 
pagans  Christianity  was  henceforth  synonymous 
with  impiety.  The  abhorrence  which  the  new  re- 
ligion had  aroused  in  certain  quarters  then  found 
a plausible  pretext  to  employ  merciless  measures 
for  stamping  it  out. 

The  first  persecution  began  in  1791,  and  the 
consistency  of  the  neophytes  under  torture  was 
admirable.  There  were  apostasies;  even  some 
who  had  endured  tortures  afterwards  yielded  to 
the  entreaties  of  their  relatives,  or  the  fear  of 
involving  all  their  household  in  a common  ruin: 
but  many  gloriously  repaired  the  weakness  of  a 
few  and  won  the  palm  of  martyrdom.  The  ex- 
aminations at  which  the  Christians  were  ques- 
tioned concerning  their  belief  were  always  ac- 
companied by  torture,  and  attracted  numberless 
spectators,  whose  attention  was  thus  forcibly 
drawn  to  the  teachings  of  the  Church.  More 
than  once  even  the  judges  expressed  reluctant 
admiration  of  what  they  heard,  and  conversions 
dated  from  those  sublime  instructions  delivered 
on  the  rack. 

Thus  v/as  the  Korean  Church  prepared  in  tears 
and  blood  to  receive  the  priest  who  came  at  last  : 
Father  James  Tsiou,  a Chinaman,  sent  in  1784, 
exactly  ten  years  after  the  baptism  of  the  first 
Korean  convert.  On  his  arrival  he  found  more 
than  four  thousand  Christians,  many  of  whom 
were  living  most  devoutly.  His  ministry  was  as 
fruitful  as  it  was  difficult  and  dangerous.  The 
general  persecution  had  ceased,  because  the  king 


166 


For  The  Faith 


was  opposed  to  violent  measures,  but  through  the 
cruelty  or  greed  of  certain  mandarins  Christians 
were  still  put  to  death  in  some  parts  of  the 
country. 

The  death  of  the  king  in  1799,  and  the  estab- 
lishment of  a regency  intensely  hostile  to  the 
Church,  was  soon  followed  by  a general  and  most 
cruel  persecution.  The  avowed  determination  of 
the  government  was  to  exterminate  the  new  sect. 
Well  knowing  the  hatred  of  the  authorities  for 
foreigners  Father  Tsiou  gave  himself  up,  hoping 
thus  to  ward  off  the  danger  threatening  his  peo- 
ple. After  enduring  horrible  tortures  he  was 
beheaded  in  May,  1801. 

But  his  death  did  not  appease  the  enemies 
of  Christianity.  The  number  of  victims  is  not 
known,  but  it  is  certain  that  in  the  capital  alone 
more  than  three  hundred  men  and  women,  of 
every  age  and  condition,  were  put  to  death. 
From  time  to  time  the  authorities  wearied  of 
their  bloody  work  and  persecution  ceased  for  a 
while,  only  to  be  renewed  with  increased  violence. 
Few  years  passed  without  seeing  Christians  im- 
prisoned for  their  Faith,  tortured,  and  either 
exiled,  put  to  death,  or  allowed  to  die  of  hunger 
and  neglect  in  loathsome  prisons. 

Summarized,  the  early  history  of  the  Church 
in  Korea  is  as  follows:  founded  in  1784  by  Peter 
Seng-Houn-i,  it  waited  ten  years  for  the  arrival 
of  a priest;  until  1831  for  the  establishment  of  a 
Vicariate  Apostolic;  and  until  1836  for  its  first 
European  missionary — Father  Maubant.  During 


Just  de  Breteniêres 


167 


these  fifty-two  years' it  had  no  external  assistance, 
except  that  given  it  by  the  ministry  of  Father 
Tsiou,  which  lasted  for  five  years.  For  forty-seven 
years  it  carried  on  its  work  without  priests,  with- 
out any  Sacrament  but  baptism,  with  no  preach- 
ing but  that  of  catechists;  it  passed  through  the 
general  persecutions  of  1791,  1801,  1815,  and 
1827;  and  it  gave  to  the  Church  more  than  a 
thousand  martyrs  and  uncounted  examples  of 
exalted  virtue. 

Again  and  again  the  poor  isolated  Koreans 
sent  touching  addresses  to  the  Sovereign  Pontiff, 
begging  him  to  send  them  priests.  Pius  VII  re- 
ceived such  a petition  at  the  moment  that  the 
horrors  of  the  French  Revolution  were  beginning 
to  alarm  the  world.  He  placed  them  under  the 
jurisdiction  of  the  Bishop  of  Peking;  but  the 
Church  in  China  felt  the  effects  of  the  storm 
that  was  devastating  Europe,  and  the  Christians 
of  Korea  had  to  be  neglected.  In  1811  Pius  VII 
received  a second  letter  from  them;  and  then, 
imprisoned  at  Fontainbleau,  his  hands  were  tied. 
Still  another  petition,  written  in  1825,  reached 
Leo  XII  two  years  later;  and  touched  by  such 
unwavering  fidelity  he  charged  the  Propaganda 
to  offer  the  Korean  mission  to  the  Paris  Foreign 
Mission  Society.  Poor  in  men  and  in  resources, 
the  Society  accepted  the  difficult  field  and  chose 
Father  Bruguière  to  begin  their  work  there.  He 
was  consecrated  Bishop  in  1829. 

The  Koreans  being  incredibly  prejudiced 
against  foreigners,  especially  those  who  were 


i68 


For  The  Faith 


Christians,  their  country  had  to  be  entered 
secretly;  and  in  three  years  of  effort,  amid  dan- 
ger and  inconceivable  hardship.  Bishop  Bruguière 
was  unable  to  reach  his  diocese.  His  failure  was 
due  in  part  to  a Chinese  priest.  Father  Pacifus, 
who  had  penetrated  into  Korea  and  was  exercis- 
ing his  ministry  there.  He  filled  the  hearts  of  the 
people  with  terror  by  telling  them  that  the  com- 
ing of  the  French  Bishop  would  be  a signal  for 
a persecution,  and  scandalized  them  by  a life  not 
in  keeping  with  the  sublimity  of  his  vocation. 

Thus  Bishop  Bruguière’s  already  difficult  task 
was  made  more  difficult.  He  suffered  cruelly 
from  the  hostility  of  his  spiritual  children,  who 
continually  raised  new  difficulties  to  delay  his 
entrance  into  the  country — imaginary  difficulties, 
invented  for  that  express  purpose,  until  at  last 
he  was  obliged  to  resort  to  extreme  measures  and 
to  threaten  with  excommunication  those  who  con- 
tinued to  make  his  apostleship  impossible.  The 
people  resisted  no  longer  and  made  ready  to 
welcome  him;  but  the  holy  Bishop,  worn  out  by 
hardship  and  sorrow,  died  suddenly  in  Tartary, 
in  October,  1835. 

After  his  death  Father  Maubant,  who  had 
been  appointed  his  assistant,  succeeded  in  enter- 
ing Korea;  and  another  French  priest.  Father 
Chastan,  soon  followed  him.  For  five  years  they 
labored  alone  in  that  field  of  martyrs,  by  their 
zeal  greatly  increasing  the  size  of  their  flock. 

In  time  a new  Vicar  Apostolic,  Bishop  Imbert, 
made  his  way  into  the  kingdom,  but  the  peoples’ 


Just  de  Breteniêres 


169 


rejoicing  was  short  lived.  A furious  persecution 
soon  broke  forth.  Imitating  Father  Tsiou  the 
three  missionaries  gave  themselves  up,  hoping 
thereby  to  save  their  flock.  The  Bishop,  deliver- 
ing himself  first,  sent  word  to  his  priests  to  join 
him,  and  all  three  were  beheaded.  The  persecu- 
tion thus  inaugurated  was  more  general  and  more 
systematic  than  any  that  had  preceded  it.  Apos- 
tacies  were  few,  and  many  were  martyred. 

The  Korean  Church  was  again  without  a priest, 
and  more  than  five  years  passed  before  another 
succeeded  in  getting  into  the  country.  During 
this  time  intermittent  periods  of  persecution  fur- 
ther enriched  its  martyrology.  Father  Ferréol, 
consecrated  Bishop  in  Alanchuria,  at  last  entered 
the  kingdom  from  the  sea,  accompanied  by  Father 
Daveluy,  and  a young  Korean  priest,  named  An- 
drew Kim,  who  had  been  ordained  in  China — a 
man  of  rare  promise,  courageous,  persevering, 
and  very  holy.  He  had  already  suffered  much, 
so  much  that  later,  when  arraigned  before  the 
judges,  the  story  of  his  trying  adventures  drew 
cries  of  admiration  even  from  his  persecutors. 
“Poor  young  man,  in  what  terrible  labors  has  he 
not  passed  his  days  !”  they-  exclaimed. 

Bishop  Ferréol  found  the  Christians  scattered 
and  disheartened.  Discipline  had  been  relaxed, 
instruction  neglected,  and  many  of  his  people 
concealed  themselves  from  him  in  terror.  Every- 
where he  had  to  begin  afresh.  Father  Kim  was 
doing  good  work  when  he  fell  into  the  hands 
of  some  soldiers;  and  after  a heroic  confession 


170 


For  The  Faith 


of  Faith  shed  his  blood  for  Christ  with  heav- 
enly joy. 

A Korean  deacon,  who  had  been  sent  to  China 
to  complete  his  studies,  forced  his  way  into  the 
country,  where  he  was  presently  ordained.  An- 
other French  missioner.  Father  Maistre,  came 
just  in  time  to  see  Bishop  Ferréol  die,  exhausted 
by  privations  and  by  labor  too  great  for  his 
strength.  He  was  the  third  Vicar  Apostolic  whom 
the  Church  had  lost  in  Korea  in  ten  years. 

Bishop  Berneux  was  next  appointed  to  the  dif- 
ficult position,  and  entered  the  country  in  1856, 
accompanied  by  Fathers  Pourthié  and  Petitnico- 
las.  His  first  official  act  was  to  name  Father 
Daveluy  his  coadjutor.  Despite  the  continued 
hostility  of  the  government  and  some  persecution, 
during  the  years  immediately  preceding  Father  de 
Bretenières’s  arrival  the  Church  in  Korea  knew 
comparative  peace  and  made  great  strides.  The 
Christian  population  increased  to  sixteen  thous- 
and. The  people  seized  every  opportunity  of 
receiving  the  Sacraments,  and  were  docile  and 
devoted  and  zealous.  Many  emulated  the  vir- 
tues of  their  holy  missioners,  and  during  ^ vio- 
lent persecution  which  stained  the  regency  of 
Heung-song-koun  not  only  priests  but  several 
thousand  laymen  gladly  died  for  the  Faith. 

Three  years  after  the  martyrdom  of  Bishop 
Berneux  and  his  companions  two  priests.  Fathers 
Ridel  and  Blanc,  attempted  to  penetrate  into 
Korea,  but  found  the  coast  guarded  at  every 
point.  Later,  in  1876,  Father  Ridel,  who  in  the 


Just  de  Bretenières 


171 


meantime  had  been  consecrated  Bishop,  man- 
aged to  effect  an  entrance  with  some  of  his 
priests.  Of  the  condition  in  which  he  found 
the  mission  he  wrote:  “Several  thousands  of  the 
faithful  have  disappeared,  victims  of  the  most 
cruel  persecution  ever  waged  even  in  Korea. 
Some  died  of  hunger,  cold,  and  disease;  others, 
especially  young  girls,  were  sold  as  slaves  and 
taken  no  one  knows  where.  Those  Christians 
whom  we  find  are  in  a miserable  condition  of 
body  and  soul.  Obliged  to  flee  and  hide,  they  lost 
their  fields  and  homes  and  all  their  possessions. 
They  have  no  means  of  livelihood.  I am  in  hid- 
ing, surrounded  on  all  sides  by  pagans.  I dare 
not  speak  above  a whisper  and  go  out  to  minister 
to  the  Christians  only  after  dark.  So  far  I have 
not  been  disturbed.” 

Bishop  Ridel  had  hardly  begun  his  work  when 
he  was  made  prisoner.  His  life  was  spared,  but 
after  being  subjected  to  ill-treatment  he  was 
taken  beyond  the  frontier  of  the  kingdom  and 
forbidden  to  return.  ^ The  more  lenient  attitude 
of  the  Korean  government  was  due,  it  is  believed, 
t;o  t’*^  ' fluence  of  Japan  and  China. 

In  1880  only  three  missioners  were  left  in 
Korea,  Fathers  Blanc,  Doucet,  and  Robert,  and  as 
they  greatly  needed  helpers  Bishop  Ridel  sent  to 
their  aid  Father  Lianville  and  Father  Mutel,  the 
present  beloved  Bishop  of  Seoul.  These  two 
priests,  after  one  unsuccessful  attempt,  gained 
entrance  in  disguise,  and  for  a time  secretly  min- 
istered to  the  Christians.  Bishop  Ridel  died  in 


172 


For  The  Faith 


1884  without  having  been  able  to  return  to  his 
diocese,  and  was  succeeded  by  Bishop  Blanc,  con- 
secrated at  Nagasaki.  France  now  wrung  from 
Korea  the  assurance  that  missioners  would  be 
permitted  to  live  in  the  kingdom,  and  this  with 
pressure  brought  to  bear  by  other  governments, 
including  that  of  the  United  States,  Inaugurated 
an  era  of  toleration  and  of  peace  for  the  long- 
tried  Church  of  Korea. 

Soon  a band  of  sisters  arrived,  and,  to  the  in- 
expressible joy  of  the  Christians,  opened  an  or- 
phan asylum  in  Seoul.  Land  was  bought  for  a 
chapel  and  a seminary.  When  Bishop  Mutel  was 
consecrated — 1890 — the  future  looked  brighter 
than  ever  before:  and  It  has  gloriously  fulfilled 
Its  promise.  Once  the  old  enemies  of  the  Faith 
organized  a rebellion  and  terrorized  the  Chris- 
tians, but  order  was  soon  restored.  When  Bishop 
Mutel  took  charge  the  Catholic  population  of 
Korea  was  17,577;  it  is  now  about  85,000. 

In  a short  article  which  the  Bishop  wrote  for 
the  Catholic  Encyclopedia,  he  gives  this  sum- 
mary of  activities:  “In  each  district  some  chapels 
have  been  built,  wfith  residences  for  the  mission- 
aries. In  1892  a seminary  was  built  at  Ryong- 
saun  near  Seoul.  The  quasi-cathedral  church  of 
Seoul  was  solemnly  consecrated  on  May  29, 1898. 
Parish  schools  have  been  opened  anew,  or  organ- 
ized upon  a better  footing.  It  has  been  possible 
to  open  In  the  great  centers  a few  schools  for 
girls,  a thing  which  Korean  usage  would  never 
before  have  permitted.  In  1875  the  missionaries 


Just  de  Bretenières 


173 


published  a dictionary  and  a grammar  in  French 
and  Korean.  The  movable  type  then  cast  has 
served  as  a standard  for  all  that  is  used  to- 
day. The  mission  possesses  a printing-house  for 
the  publication  of  Korean  Catholic  books  and  of 
a weekly  Korean  Catholic  newspaper,  founded  in 
1906,  which  counts  more  than  four  thousand  sub- 
scribers. As  a striking  event  of  this  period  may 
be  noted  the  conversion  to  Catholicism  of  the 
princess,  the  mother  of  the  emperor,  and  the 
true  wife  of  the  terrible  regent  Heung-song-koun. 
Christian  at  heart  even  before  the  persecution 
of  1866,  she  was  baptized  and  confirmed  Octo- 
ber 11,  1896,  but  in  great  secrecy  and  unknown 
even  to  those  about  her.  The  following  year  she 
received,  under  the  same  conditions,  the  Sacra- 
ments of  Penance  and  Holy  Eucharist,  and  died 
piously,  January  8,  1898.” 

To  the  Very  Reverend  James  A.  Walsh,  Super- 
ior of  Maryknoll,  the  American  Foreign  Mission 
Seminary,  we  are  indebted  for  the  story  of  the 
conversion  to  which  Bishop  Mutel  refers.  Father 
Walsh  has  been  in  correspondence  with  Bishop 
Mutel  for  several  years  and  recently,  on  his  Far 
Eastern  voyage  in  search  of  a mission-field  for 
American  priests,  he  remained  for  several  days 
at  Seoul  as  the  Bishop’s  guest.  During  this  visit 
His  Lordship  wrote  for  him  the  interesting  story 
which  follows: 

“The  prince,  whom  the  Japanese  call  Prince 
Ri  Senior,  occupied  the  throne  of  Korea,  first  as 
king,  from  1864  until  1897;  then  as  emperor, 


174 


For  The  Faith 


from  1897  until  1907,  when  he  abdicated  in 
favor  of  his  son,  who  was  dethroned  in  1910 
and  has  since  been  known  as  Prince  Ri  Junior. 

“Born  of  a noble  family,  in  1852,  Prince  Ri 
Senior  was  only  twelve  years  of  age  when  he 
was  chosen  to  succeed  a childless  king,  and  the 
regency  placed  in  the  hands  of  his  father,  Heung- 
song-koun,  principal  author  of  the  terrible  perse- 
cution of  1866  which  gave  us  so  many  martyrs. 
Little  as  the  regent  suspected  it  Christianity  had 
even  then  won  its  way,  not  only  into  the  court, 
but  into  his  household.  The  nurse  of  the  boy- 
king  was  a devout  Catholic,  and  his  own  wife 
loved  the  Church  and  believed  in  it.  Shortly  be- 
fore Bishop  Berneux’s  martyrdom  she  sent  a mes- 
sage, begging  him  to  offer  a number  of  Masses 
for  the  prosperity  of  the  kingdom,  and  while  her 
husband  was  torturing  priests  and  thousands  of 
native  Christians  she  was  secretly  studying  the 
catechism  and  preparing  herself  for  baptism. 

“She  w^as  a Christian  at  heart  for  many  years, 
and  when,  in  1890,1  returned  to  Korea  as  Bishop, 
she  sent  to  me  begging  for  baptism.  It  was  im- 
possible for  me  to  grant  her  petition,  for  not- 
withstanding her  great  age  she  still  acted  as 
mistress  of  the  royal  family  and  among  her 
duties  were  the  preparation  of  the  pagan  sacri- 
fices and  the  defraying  of  whatever  expense  per- 
tained to  them.  I was  obliged  to  reply  that  she 
could  not  be  baptized  until  she  renounced  all  par- 
ticipation in  the  false  worship  of  the  court. 

“In  the  spring  of  1896,  giving  her  advanced 


THE  MUCH-LOVED  BISHOP  OF  SEOUL 
Rt.  Rev.  Gustave  Mutel  of  the  Paris  Foreign  Missions 


Just  de  Bretenîères 


175 


age  as  excuse,  she  resigned  her  place  as  head  of 
the  royal  household,  and  once  more  asked  for 
baptism.  The  eleventh  of  October  was  the  day 
chosen;  the  place,  a Christian  maid-servant’s  un- 
pretentious home,  outside  the  grounds  of  the 
palace,  but  not  far  from  it.  I was  the  first  to 
reach  the  house  and  hid  behind  the  door  of  its 
one  room.  Soon  the  princess  came,  carried  in  a 
kind  of  chair  which  is  in  general  use  among  the 
ladies  of  the  palace.  The  bearers  did  not  know 
her  and  suspected  nothing.  A pagan  woman  of 
the  court,  to  whom  the  princess  had  confided  the 
secret,  accompanied  her  on  foot.  When  the  prin- 
cess alighted  she  was  greeted  as  Koreans  greet 
an  aged  relative;  only  after  she  entered  the  house 
and  the  door  had  been  closed  was  more  profound 
respect  shown  her. 

“The  princess  was  immediately  presented  to 
me.  She  was  simply  dressed,  and  very  simple  in 
manner.  Her  sight  had  grown  dim,  but  her  hear- 
ing was  perfect  and  her  mind  was  alert  and  keen. 
We  had  much  to  say  to  each  other,  but  there  was 
little  time  for  anything  but  the  serious  matter  for 
which  we  had  met.  I asked  her  to  repeat  our  or- 
dinary prayers  and  she  said  them  fluently,  as  one 
does  who  recites  them  often.  I examined  her  in 
Christian  Doctrine,  and  she  readily  answered  all 
my  questions.  I then  baptized  her  with  as  much 
solemnity  as  time  and  place  permitted.  A Chris- 
tian, the  daughter  of  the  king’s  nurse,  was  god- 
mother. All  went  well,  although  during  the  cere- 
mony we  could  hear  the  bearers  of  the  princess’ 


176 


For  The  Faith 


chair  wrangling  over  a -few  pennies  just  outside 
the  door.  Evidently  they  had  had  too  much  wine. 

“When  I poured  the  baptismal  water  on  the 
forehead  of  Princess  Mary  I saw  a look  of  un- 
utterable joy  illumine  her  face — a look  which  I 
have  seen  a thousand  times  on  the  countenances 
of  humbler  converts.  Immediately  afterward  I 
confirmed  her,  and  this  time  a Christian  servant 
was  god-mother.  The  ceremonies  had  lasted  about 
an  hour  and  we  could  not  tarry  longer  without 
danger.  I said  good-bye  to  Princess  Mary  and 
hid  behind  the  door  while  she  went  to  her  chair. 
When  it  passed  out  of  sight  I also  left  the  house. 

“The  following  day  Princess  Mary  sent  some 
one  to  thank  me,  to  tell  me  that  she  had  re- 
entered the  palace  without  being  seen,  and  also 
to  ask  for  a dispensation  from  abstinence,  which 
it  would  have  been  almost  impossible  for  her  to 
observe. 

“A  year  later,  on  September  fifth,  1897,  the 
princess  sent  a messenger  to  ask  me  to  see  her 
that  evening,  that  I might  hear  her  confession 
and,  if  possible,  give  her  her  First  Communion. 
This  time  it  was  arranged  that  I should  go  to 
her  at  the  palace.  In  a chair  not  unlike  the  one 
she  had  used  I left  my  house  about  nine  o’clock 
in  the  evening,  carrying  the  Blessed  Sacrament 
on  my  breast.  I was  taken  through  a side-door 
to  the  room  of  a Christian  servant.  The  porters 
having  been  dismissed  I was  led  across  several 
courts  to  the  apartments  of  a court  lady  who  was 
in  the  secret.  On  the  way  I narrowly  escaped 


Just  de  Bretenières 


177 


running  into  one  of  the  guards  who  make  the 
round  of  the  palace  during  the  entire  night.  Each 
of  them  is  armed  with  a long  stick,  bound  with 
iron,  with  which  he  strikes  the  ground  making  a 
horrible  noise.  We  stood  aside  in  the  shadow 
until  he  passed,  and  continued  on  our  way. 

“A  very  old  lady  of  the  court  received  me  in 
her  room  where  I found  also  the  lady  who  had 
been  present  at  Princess  Mary’s  baptism.  I laid 
the  Blessed  Sacrament  on  a table  which  had  been 
made  ready  for  it,  lit  a candle,  and  awaited  the 
coming  of  the  princess.  At  half-past  eleven  I 
heard  a slight  noise  and  rose  quickly.  It  was  in- 
deed the  king’s  mother  who  approached,  having 
profited  by  a moment  when  all  her  attendants 
were  asleep  to  have  herself  carried  on  the  back 
of  a slave  to  the  room  in  which  I awaited  her. 
After  our  greetings  and  some  little  conversation 
Princess  Mary  asked  me  to  hear  her  confession. 
I did  so  at  once,  and  afterwards  prayers  were 
read  to  her  in  preparation  for  Holy  Communion. 
Shortly  after  midnight  I put  on  my  surplice  and 
stole  and  gave  her  Holy  Communion.  I can  still 
see  the  whole  scene:  the  aged  princess  kneeling 
before  me  to  receive  Our  Lord,  and  behind  her 
two  pagan  ladies  of  the  palace  with  a humble 
Christian  servant  between  them,  all  three  rever- 
ently bent  low.  Such  was  the  First  Communion 
of  Princess  Mary  in  the  early  morning  of  the 
sixth  of  September,  1897,  when  she  was  eighty 
years  of  age.  It  was  her  last  Communion  as  well 
as  her  first.  I was  obliged  to  interrupt  her 


178 


For  The  Faith 


thanksgiving  to  take  leave  of  her,  and  never  saw 
her  again. 

“Towards  the  end  of  the  year  she  fell  ill,  but 
profited  by  a day  on  which  she  was  better  to 
send  me  messages,  recommending  herself  to  my 
prayers,  and  begging  me',  if  possible  to  see  her 
husband,  the  old  regent,  Heung-song-koun,  v/ho 
was  also  very  ill.  She  hoped  that  I might  be 
able  to  bring  him  into  the  Church.  I had  no 
further  news  of  her  until  the  morning  of  Janu- 
ary ninth,  when  word  was  brought  me  that  she 
had  died  the  evening  before.  In  any  case  it  would 
have  been  impossible  for  me  to  be  with  her  at 
the  last.  Knowing  this  she  had  told  a Christian 
servant  to  stay  beside  her,  and  in  words  agreed 
between  them  to  suggest  pious  thoughts  until 
the  end  came. 

“I  felt  it  my  duty  to  seek  an  audience  with 
the  king  that  I might  offer  my  condolence  and 
tell  him  that  his  mother  had  died  a Christian. 
Some  one’s  indiscretion  had  already  appraised 
him  of  the  fact,  and  fearing  that  I should  men- 
tion it  before  the  assembled  court  he  refused  to 
see  me,  sending  word  that  he  was  unusually  busy 
and  would  summon  me  later. 

“I  asked,  also,  for  an  interview  with  Heung- 
song-koun,  as  the  princess  had  asked  me  to  do. 
He  sent  me  effusive  messages  of  thanks,  but  ex- 
plained that  he  was  not  on  friendly  terms  with 
his  son  and  a visit  from  me  at  that  moment  might 
get  us  both  into  trouble.  Perhaps  this,  too,  was 
but  an  excuse. 


Just  de  Breteniêres 


179 


“Obliged  by  ill  health  to  go  to  Shanghai  for 
two  months’  rest  it  was  there  that  I learned  of 
the  regent’s  death  on  the  twenty-second  of  Feb- 
ruary. National  obsequies  — entirely  pagan,  of 
course  — were  held  at  the  same  time  for  him 
and  for  Princess  Mary.  For  her  soul  she  had 
only  the  portion  of  the  poor:  the  generous  suf- 
frages of  the  Church  and  a few  Masses  said  at 
the  request  of  some  humble  Christian  servants.” 


-s 


The  Martyr  of  Futuna 

{.Blessed  Peter  Chanel,  S.  Ai.,  First  A4  arty  r of  Oceania^ 
Adapted  from  the  French  by  Florence  Gilmore 


“This  simple  life  of  Blessed  Peter  Chanel  will  do  much  to  arouse 
enthusiasm  for  foreign  missions,  and  will,  we  trust,  lead  many  an 
American  youth  to  labor  in  the  ‘field  afar.’  ” — The  Catholic  World. 

“A  valuable  addition  to  the  Catholic  Foreign  Mission  Society’s 
list  of  publications. — A copy  of  this  book  in  the  hands  of  those 
interested  in  the  missions  may  mean  an  increased  number  of  voca- 
tions.— Catholic  libraries  especially  should  not  fail  to  procure  the 
life-story  of  this  nineteenth-century  martyr.” — America. 


Bound  in  cloth,  208 pp.  16  illustrations,  $1.00 prepaid 


Catholic  Foreign  Mission  Society 

Maryknoll,  Ossining  P.  O.,  N.  Y. 


An  American  Missionary 


^IS  new  edition  of  Father  Judge’s  life  and 


etters  will  be  welcomed  by  all  his  friends 
and  by  the  increasing  number  of  those  whose 
Catholic  hearts  beat  in  full  sympathy  with  the 
intrepid  missloners  * beyond  the  frontiers.’  The 
headings  of  the  chapters  are  enough  to  incite 
readers,  who  will  wish  to  know  more  about  the 
Yukon,  Forty  Mile  Post  and  Circle  City,  the 
Rush  to  the  Klondike  and  Dawson  City.  The 
excellent  reviews  of  the  first  edition  have  been 
printed  at  the  end  of  the  present  volume  and 
bear  testimony  to  the  inspiring  letters  within. 


304  Pages.  In  Cloth.  20  Illustrations. 
Price,  50  cents.  Postage,  1 2 cents. 


(Third  Edition) 


Catholic  Foreign  Mission  seminary 

MARYKNOLL  : : : : OSSINING  P.  0.,  N.  Y. 


Atones:  from  W\)t  Jftelb  Star 


A Charming  Gift 

Fifteen  Short  Stories  bearing  on  the  subject  of  Foreign 
Missions.  A long-felt  want  supplied. 


This  book  has  lOU  pages  and  17  illustrations.  It  is 
most  attractively  bound  in  cloth,  with  cover  design. 

Price,  only  Fifty  Cents 

{Postage  Ten  Cts.) 

Address: 

The  Catholic  Foreign  Mission  Seminary 
Maryknoll  : : : OSSINING  P.  O..  N.  Y. 


Tield  Jifar  Calcs 

A companion  volume  to  the  Stories  already 
announced. 

Twenty  Short  Stories,  of  which  the  Brooklyn 
Tablet  says; 

Up  at  the  New  Catholic  Foreign  Mission  Seminary 
the  purpose  of  educating  the  Catholic  public  of  America 
in  the  matter  of  its  duty  to  the  foreign  missions,  goes 
on  apace.  Month  after  month  the  brilliant  Field  Afar 
magazine  comes  from  the  printing-press  to  the  homes  of 
American  Catholics  and  quietly  fans  the  flames  of  enthu- 
siasm. Already  there  is  a glowing  response  in  the 
material  growth  of  tliis  venture,  while  vocations  among 
American  youth  and  a broadened  outlook  on  the  world 
are  even  now  in  evidence.  The  monthly  story  of  the 
missions,  fresh  from  the  Orient,  is  hardly  surpassed  by 
the  bright  little  fictional  tales  that  are  written  with  an 
eye  for  propaganda. 

The  volume  before  us  is  the  second  collection  of  these 
breezy  tales.  It  is  most  welcome  and  having  a definite 
purpose,  will,  we  believe,  produce  fruit. 

The  tales  attributed  to  Fr.  John  Wakefield  are  clear 
and  terse  echoes  of  “what  might  have  been”  if  American 
Catholics  were  interested  in  the  evangelization  of  the 
Orient.  Some  of  the  stories  are  by  a Teresian  of  Mary- 
knoll.  These  also  strike  home  and  sound  as  if  they 
were  founded  on  fact.  The  many  dramatic  incidents 
that  daily  come  to  our  shores  from  China  and  Japan, 
furnish  the  main  theme  of  the  tales,  and  the  material 
is  well  handled. 

NOTES 

Binding  . . . Cloth  stamped  in  red 

Pages  ......  163 

Full  Page  Illustrations  . . , . 16 

Price Fifty  Cents 

Postage  . . . . .Ten  Cents 

Address  : 

The  Catholic  Foreign  Mission  Seminary 

MARYKNOLL  : : : OSSINING  P.O..N.  y . 

I'  - 


31 

(New  Edition) 


THE  LIFE  AND  LETTERS  OF 

BLESSED  THEOPHANE  VÊNARD 

Alumnus  of  the  Paris  Foreign  Mission  Society 


I am  very  grateful  to  you  for  making  me  acquainted 
with  ‘ A Modern  Martyr.’  I think  it  is  the  most  fascina- 
ting book  I have  read  for  a long  time.  I can  hardly  put  it 
out  of  my  hands,  and  have  finished  reading  half  of  it  al- 
ready. I have  Instructed  the  President  of  our  Cathedral 
College  to  place  a copy  in  the  hands  of  each  of  our  petits 
séminaristes,  and  I feel  convinced  that  no  better  book  could 
be  given  them  for  their  spiritual  reading.” — Cardinal  Farley. 


‘‘  Thanks,  many  times  over,  for  Theophane  Venard, 
not  only  for  the  copy  of  the  book  itself,  but  above  all  for 
writing,  publishing,  and  spreading  it.  It  is  bound  to  do 
an  immense  amount  of  good  for  the  Cause  which  we  both 
have  so  much  at  heart.  . . . Before  leaving  Mill  Hill,  I 
gave  the  book  to  the  Rector  with  instructions  to  have  it  read 
in  the  refectory.” — Very  Rev.  F.  Henry t Mill  Hill. 
England. 

‘‘  ‘ A Modern  Martyr  ’ has  all  the  charm  and  interest 
of  a novel.  In  variety  of  incident,  in  wealth  of  detail,  in 
careful  analysis  of  character,  it  will  not  suffer  by  compari- 
son with  the  latest  production  of  fiction.  It  is  brimful  of 
human  love  and  human  interest.  . . . Nothing  so  edifying 
and  inspiring  has  of  late  been  recorded  in  our  missionary 
annals  as  the  calmness  and  fortitude  with  which  Theophane 
Venard  bent  his  neck  under  the  stroke  of  the  executioner’s 
axe  in  testimony  of  the  faith  delivered  by  the  saints.  — 
Catholic  Transcript,  Hartford,  Conn. 


Letter  written  hy  Fr.  Venard  from  his  Cage. 

January  20,  1861. 

My  very  dear,  most  honored  and  much-loved  Father: — 

I have  not  had  to  endure  torture  like  many  of  my  friends.  A slight 
sabre-stroke  will  separate  my  head  like  the  spring  flower  which  the  gar- 
dener cuts  for  his  pleasure.  We  are  all  flowers  planted  on  this  earth, 
which  God  gathers  in  His  own  time,  one  a little  earlier  and  one  a little 
later.  One  is  as  the  purple  rose,  another  as  the  virgin  lily,  another  the 
humble  violet. 

yyy  ..0. 


From  His  Eminence^  Cardinal  Farley: 

“I  am  very  grateful  to  you  for  making  me 
acquainted  with  ‘A  MODERN  MARTYR.’ 
I think  it  is  the  most  fascinating  book  I have 
read  in  a long  time.  I can  hardly  put  it  out 
of  my  hands,  and  have  finished  reading  half  of 
it  already.  I have  instructed  the  President  of 
our  Cathedral  College  to  place  a copy  in  the 
hands  of  each  of  our  petits  séminaristes,  and  I 
feel  convinced  that  no  better  book  could  be 
given  them  for  their  spiritual  reading.” 


NOTE. 

The  life  of  THEOPHANE  VENARD.  published  under 
the  title  "A  Modern  Martyr,”  is  a book  of  about  260  pp., 
illustrated  and  bound  in  cloth. 

Price,  50  Cents.  Postage,  10  Cents 

CATHOLIC  FOREIGN  MISSION  SEMINARY 
Maryknoll  Ossining  P.  0.,  New  York 


THOUGHTS  FROM  MODERN  MARTYRS 

Made  up  of  short  sentences  from 
Just  de  Bretenicres 
Blessed  Tiiéothane  Venard  and 

Henry  Done— all  içtli  century  martyrs  and  alumni  of 
the  Baris  Seminary  for' Foreign  Missions. 

Includes  also  a brief  sketch  of  the  life  of  each. 


JUST  DE  BRETEXIERE5 

This  is  a small  book,  suitable  for  occasional  reading.  It 
contains  122  pages,  printed  in  large,  clear  type,  and  is  illus- 
trated with  photographs  of  the  three  martyrs. 

Price,  in  cloth,  35  cents.  Postage  5 cents. 

Address  THE  CATHOLIC  FOREIGX  MISSIOX  BUREAU 
Maryknoll,  Ossining  P.  O.,  X.  Y. 


The  Field  Afar 

ON  the  following  pages  our  readers  will  find  reference 
to  The  Field  Afar.  This  paper  is  the  organ  of  the 
Catholic  Foreign  Mission  Seminary,  now  established  in 
its  permanent  home  at  Maryknoll,  Ossining  P.  O.,  New 
York. 

The  Field  Afar  began  its  mission  in  1907  and  has  at- 
tracted world-wide  notice.  Its  subscribers  commonly 
assert  that  they  read  it  from  cover  to  cover. 

Practical  editorials,  touches  of  missionary  life  that  ap- 
peal to  all  classes,  recent  important  happenings,  and 
stories  illustrating  the  apostolic  spirit  as  well  as  life  on 
the  field, — these  are  the  features,  carefully  grouped,  that 
make  The  Field  Afar  a welcome  visitor  wherever  it  goes. 

ASSOCIATE  SUBSCRIPTION 

Including  a share  in  the  works  and  suffrages  of  the 
Catholic  Foreign  Mission  Society 

ONE  DOLLAR  A YEAR 


SPECIAL  RATES  FOR  SCHOOLS,  SODALITIES, 
SOCIETIES,  ETC. 

For  one  year  to  any  single  address: 


10  copies  (for  twelve  issues)  $ 8.00 

25  copies  (for  twelve  issues)  20.00 

50  copies  (for  twelve  issues)  40.00 

100  copies  (for  twelve  issues)  80.00 


ADDRESS:  THE  FIELD  AFAR 
Catholic  Foreign  Mission  Seminary 
of  America 


Maryknoll,  Ossining  P.  O.,  N.  Y. 


TRIBUTES  TO  THE  FIELD  AFAR 


The  Field  Afar  is  excellent. — Bishop  Casartelli,  Salford, 
England. 


I am  of  those  who  read  it  from  Alpha  to  Omega. — Father 
Forbes,  Superior  of  White  Fathers,  Quebec,  Canada. 


It  IS  certainly  a well-edited  paper.  Do  not  fail  to  exchange 
with  us. — Rev.  P.  Paulo  Manna,  M.  Ap.,  Editor  ‘Le  Missioni 
Cattoliche/  Milan^  Italy. 


A completely  new  spirit, — an  object  lesson  for  the  whole 
English-speaking  world.  God  knows  it  was  badly  wanting. — 
Rev.  H.  Brown,  S.  J.,  University  College,  Dublin,  Ireland. 


I rejoice  to  learn  that  the  work  of  the  missioners  is  being 
made  known  in  the  United  States  through  The  Field  Afar. — 
Editor  of  Anthropos,  Vienna,  Austria. 


It  is  most  interestingly  conducted,  the  material  and  form 
equally  admirable.  There  is  a variety  and  life  in  it  winch  our 
old  countries  in  Europe  have  not  yet  known  how  to  catch. — 
Bishop  Mutel,  Korea. 


It  is  destined  to  promote  a great  and  noble  purpose,  the 
work  of  , building  up  Christ  in  souls.  The  work  to  be  performed 
h.ere  is  immense  and  only  awaits  missionary  laborers  and  assist- 
ance, spiritual  and  temporal,  from  those  to  whom  the  Faith 
lias  been  preached  for  centuries.  The  Field  Afar  deserves  every 
encouragement  and  I shall  recommend  it  to  all  our  Catholics. 
— M.  Kennelly,  S.  J.,  Shanghai,  China. 


From  the  “ Catholie  Transcript,'^  Hartford,  Conn. 

The  Field  Afar  is  a powerful  youngster  already  rejoicing 
in  a large  circulation  of  15,000.  It  aims  high  and  it  is  devel- 
oping a rapid  stride.  We  predict  that,  within  five  years,  another 
cipher  must  be  added  to  the  three  that  stand  at  the  right  of 
the  “ 15,”  in  order  to  give  an  adequate  idea  of  the  wonderful 
growth  of  this  most  interesting  monthly. 

The  success  of  the  paper  is  an  index  to  the  progress  of 
the  movement  which  it  represents.  The  Catholic  Foreign  Mis- 
sion Society  of  America  is  in  its  infancy,  but  the  cause  to  which 
it  is  consecrated  is  as  old  as  the  Church.  The  harvest  is  ripe 
and  our  people  are  not  without  the  gift  of  apostolic  charity. 
The  prosperous  Church  of  the  United  States  will  not  be  true 
to  herself  if  she  hesitates  to  take  part  in  the  perennial  and 
Heaven-imposed  task  of  evangelizing  the  heathen.  The  Mis- 
sion Society  has  a glorious  field  and  the  laborers  who  have 
already  entered  it  are  cultivating  the  soil  with  zeal  and  with  a 
prudence  which  gives  earnest  of  a splendid  harvest. 


TRIBUTES  TO  THE  FIELD  AFAR 


From  “ America.” 

The  Field  Afar,  a monthly  published  in  the  interests  of 
the  Apostolic  Seminary  at  Maryknoll,  Ossining,  N.  Y.,  grows 
in  attractiveness  with  each  new  issue.  There  are  sixteen  pages 
in  this  little  publication,  fourteen  of  them  devoted  to  reading 
matter  and  two  to  notices  and  advertisements.  A personal 
touch  to  all  the  articles  puts  The  Field  Afar  in  a class  by 

itself.  It  is  most  readable  and  most  instructive 

In  reading  the  issue  for  April,  we  thought  what  an  excellent 
paper  it  is  to  put  into  the  hands  of  our  Catholic  children, 
whether  attending  the  parish  schools  or  the  Sunday  schools. 


The  fulness  of  Christian  charity  is  never  to  be  found  in 
the  hearts  of  Catholics  unless  there  be  an  expression  of  the 
desire  to  spread  the  Kingdom  of  Christ  throughout  the  world, 
especially  in  those  lands  whose  inhabitants  are  still  sitting  in 
the  darkness  of  infidelity  and  the  shadow  of  spiritual  death. 
Our  fathers  did  their  noble  share  in  spreading  the  Faith  when 
they  carried  it  as  a sacred  treasure  from  the  land  of  their  birth 
and  planted  it  in  all  its  vigor  in  the  land  of  their  adoption. 
That  the  apostolic  mission  of  a former  generation  was  well 
done,  the  marvelous  expansion  and  present  development  in  many 
States  of  the  Union  amply  testify.  The  children  of  such  sires, 
to  be  worthy  of  their  lineage,  must  do  their  share  in  propa- 
gating the  Faith,  and  for  this  purpose  a knowledge  of  what 
is  done  or  is  planned  to  be  done  in  mission  fields  is  a prime 
necessity. 


Day  after  day  we  read  of  the  departure  of  Protestants, 
men  and  women,  to  foreign  lands  to  join  the  truly  astounding- 
number  of  active  workers  belonging  to  the  sects  in  all  parts 
of  the  globe.  The  coffers  of  their  missionary  societies  are  be- 
ing replenished  by  organized  efforts,  to  secure  contribution‘s, 
be  they  ever  so  snaall,  from  all  the  churches  that  dot  the  land, 
and  by  the  colossal  fortunes  that  are  bequeathed  for  tlie 
furtherance  of  the  same  inspiring  cause. 


American  Catholics  give  signs  of  waking  up  to  that  which 
is  in  itself  a duty  and  the  neglect  of  which  will  become  a 
greater  reproach  if  they  are  less  zealous  than  such  as  possess 
onlv  a tithe  of  that  blessed  heritage  of  the  Faith  which  all 
Catholics  possess  in  the  fulness  received  from  Christ  and  the 
Apostles.  There  are  a score  of  ways  in  which  zeal  and  interest 
in  the  great  cause  of  missionary  development  may  be  mani- 
fested. One  of  the  simplest  and  the  most  direct,  in  which 
even  those  may  share  whose  income  allows  them  to  spend  but 
little,  is  the  support  of  a paper  like  The  Field  Afar.  If  the 
Catholic  paper  in  the  home  is  a perpetual  mission,  a paper 
treating  of  the  missions  is  an  inspiration,  an  inspiration  to 
share  the  highest  good  that  man  can  share  with  his  fellow 
man. 


From  the  “Catholic  Guardian”  Jaffna,  Ceylon. 

The  Field,  Afar  is  the  very  bright,  sparkling  organ  of  the 
Catholic  Foreign  Mission  Society  of  America.  We  note  with 
extreme  pleasure  the  founding  and  progress  of  this  Society  and 
of  its  college  for  the  training  of  American  priests  for  the 
foreign  missions.  The  young  Church  in  America  proves  its 
vitality  bv  the  truly  Catholic  zeal  with  which  it  has  taken 
up  this  noble  work.  We  wish  Maryknoll  Godspeed,  and  may  the 
example  of  the  younger  Church  stir  up  the  energies  of  her  elder 
sister  in  the  British  Isles  ! 


Bernadette  of  Lourdes 


(Authentic  portrait — Copyright  by 
Pierre-Bernard  Soubirous, 
brother  of  Bernadette) 


“A  book  of  special  interest  to  every  American  and 
above  all  to  every  American  nun.” — Cardinal  Gibbons. 

MISSION  EDITION 

Blue  cloth,  paper  and  binding  of  good  grade,  14 
half-tone  illustrations .$1.00 

STANDARD  EDITION 

Paper  and  cloth  binding,  both  of  high  grade,  pure 
gold  stamping,  hand-printed  photogravure  illustra- 
tions. Boxed $2.50 

DE  LUXE  EDITION 

Dark  blue  suede  leather  binding,  pure  gold  stamp- 
ing and  edge,  hand-printed  photogravure  illustra- 
tions on  real  Japan  vellum.  Boxed  ....  $5.00 

By  special  arrany^ement  sold  for  the  benefit  of  its  work  by 

THE  CATHOLIC 

FOREIGN  MISSION  SOCIETY 
MARYKNOLL,  OSSINING,  N.  Y. 


A LIST  OF  PAMPHLETS 


The  ^lission  Field  of  the  Xineteenth  Century — 
Cardinal  ^loran 

The  Catholic  Foreign  ^Mission  Field 

English  Catholics  and  the  Foreign  ^Missions 

A Sister  of  Charity  in  China 

Chinese  AAyside  Tales 

More  Chinese  Tales 

Cardinal  \"aughan 

St.  Francis  Xavier 

Fr.  Damien 

Catholic  Church  in  Japan 
Martyrs  of  Japan 
A Alartyr  of  Japan  (Fr.  iMastrilli) 

The  Religions  of  Japan 

St.  Peter  Claver  (The  Apostle  of  the  X'egroes) 

Lazarus,  an  Indian  Alartyr 

The  Religion  of  China 

An  American  Hindu  on  Hinduism 

Catholic  Missions 

Catholic  ^Missions  in  Japan 

China  and  Korea 

Jesuit  ^Missionaries  in  N’orthern  India 
Don  Bosco 

Indian  Languages  and  Early  Catholic  Glissions 
An  Apology  for  Foreign  Missions 

For  further  information  address  the 


CATHOLIC  FOREIGN  MISSION  SOCIETY 
Maryknoll,  Ossining  P.  O.,  N.  Y. 


Recent  Mission  Literature 


With  Christ  in  China Postpaid  $1.00 

By  Rev.  J.  P.  McQuaide,  Ph.  D. 

Mission  Literature  in  Foreign  Languages 

Théophane  Venard — in  French Postpaid  $0.60 

Un  Martire  Moderno Postpaid  .60 


(Théophane  Vénard  in  Italian) 


Books  under  the  patronage  of  Mary  knoll 


Vocations  to  the  Priesthood $0.10 

Rev.  F.  X.  Steinbrecher 

Abide  With  Me 25 

Short  Catechism  of  Church  History 25 

Rt.  Rev.  Msgr.  J.  Oechtering 

Why  is  Thy  Apparel  Red  ?..... 60 

Rev.  M.  F.  Walz,  C.  P.  P.  S. 

Bernadette  of  Lourdes 1.00 

Translated  by  J.  H.  Gregory 

The  Church  in  Many  Lands 1.00 

Rev.  J.  J.  Burke 

The  Shepherd  of  My  Soul LOO 

Rev.  C.  J.  Callan,  O.  P. 

The  Inner  Life  of  the  Soul 1.50 

S.  L.  Emery 

New  Psalter  of  the  Roman  Breviary 1.50 

Rev.  L.  C.  Pillion,  S.  S. 

Illustrations  for  Sermons  and  Instructions 2.00 

Rev,  C.  J.  Callan,  O.  P. 

(POSTAGE  EXTRA) 

Address 


The  Catholic  Foreign  Mission  Seminary 

Maryknoll,  Ossining  P.  O.,  N.Y. 


FOR  FURTHER  INFORMATION  ABOUT  CATHOLIC  MISSIONS 


General 

Christian  Missions  Marshall 

The  Workers  are  Few  Fr.  Manna 

Our  Lord’s  Last  Will  and  Testament  Dr.  A/iaus 

Mission  Work  in  America 

(a)  Biographical  and  Historical: 

An  American  Missionary 


Notes  of  a Missionary  Priest  in  the  Rocky  Mountains 

The  Iroquois  and  the  Jesuits 

Catholic  Pioneers  in  America — Murray 

Over  the  Rocky  Mountains  to  Alaska 

Indian  Sketches — De  Smet 

Sebastian  Rasle 

Life  of  Fr.  Isaac  Jogues,  S.  J. 

Pioneer  Priests  of  North  America — Fr.  Campbell 
Across  Wildest  America — Fr.  Devine 
Western  Missions  and  Missionaries — De  Smet 
Life  of  Bishop  Machebeuf,  Pioneer  Priest  of  New  Mex- 
ico, Colorado  and  Utah 

Life  of  Very  Rev.  E,  De  Andreis,  First  Superior  of  the 
Congregation  of  the  Mission  in  the  United  States 
Missions  of  the  Rocky  Mountains 
Missions  among  the  American  Indians 
Fr.  Lacombe — The  Black-Robe  Voyageur 
( h ) Stories  : 

The  Story  of  a Mission  Indian 

Lot  Leslie’s  Folk.s — Their  Queer  Adventures  among  the 
French  and  Indians 


Foreign 

(a)  Biographical  and  Historical: 

A Modern  Martyr 

Just  de  Bretenières 

The  Dominican  Martyrs  of  Tonkin 

First  Martyrs  of  Holy  Childhood — Lady  Herbert 

Travels  in  Tartary  and  Thibet — Hue 

The  Catholic  Church  in  China — Rev.  B.  Wolferstan,  S.  J. 
Life  of  Ven.  Colin,  Founder  and  First  Superior-Gen- 
eral of  the  Society  of  Mary 
Life  of  Bishop  de  Mazenod,  Founder  of  the  Oblates  of 
Mary  Immaculate 
The  Lepers  of  Molokai — Stoddard 
The  Catholic  Missions  of  Southern  Burma 
Thoughts  from  Modern  Martyrs 
Dominican  Missions  and  Martyrs  in  Japan 
The  Cross  in  Japan 
Japanese  Martyrs 
Missions  in  Japan  and  Paraguay 


Missionary  Labors  of  Mgr.  de  Mazenod  and  the  Oblates 
The  Apostle  of  Abyssinia 

(h)  Stories:  . ^ ^ 

Love  Your  Enemies  (A  Tale  of  the  Maori  Insurrection) 
Prince  Arumugan  (A  Tale  of  India) 

Maron  (A  Youth  of  Lebanon) 

The  Queen’s  Nephew  (A  Story  of  Early  Japan) 

The  Cabin  Boys  (A  Story  for  the  Young) 

Children  of  Mary  (A  Tale  of  the  Caucasus) 

Laurentia  (A  Tale  of  Japan) 

Chinese  Lanterns — Alice  Dease 


The  above  lists  have  been  prepared  to  suggest  sources  of 
information  and  interest.  The  supply  of  Catholic  inission 
literature  in  English  Is  scant,  but  a growing  demand  will 
doubtless  stimulate  the  production  of  more  books  treating  or 


this  vital  subject. 

For  further  information  address  the  : 


CATHOLIC  FOREIGN  MISSION  SOCIETY, 
Maryknoll,  Ossining  P.  O.,  N.  Y. 


Maryknoll  Outfit 
for  Mission  Training 

Sold  only  to  Sisters  and  others  interested  in  Mission  Training 


Price  $3.50.  Regular  Price  $7.00 

Thoughts  From  Modern  Martyrs  $ .40 

A Modern  Martyr  (Bl.  Theophane  Venard) 60 

Stories  From  The  Field  Afar  60 

Field  Afar  Tales  60 

An  American  Missionary  (Fr.  Judge,  S.  J.,  in  Alaska)  .60 

Theophane  Venard  (French)  60 

The  Martyr  of  Futuna  (Bl.  Peter  Chanel,  S.  M.) ....  1.00 

Bernadette  of  Lourdes  1.00 

100  Prayer  Prints  25 

Chi  Rho  Pin  25 

100  Post  Cards  50 

Set  of  Educational  Cards  50 

Half-tone  engraving  of  Bernadette  of  Lourdes 10 


of  forty  per  cent  to  Clergy  and  Religious: 

With  Christ  in  China  $1.00 


Catholic  Foreign  Mission  Society 

Maryknoll,  Ossining,  N.  Y. 


